Space Cases: Legacy
by Queen Azura
Summary: Twenty years have passed since the Casers graduated from Starcademy, and a month since the Kaesar war was averted. Once again secure in their lives, the Casers are content - until someone tries to kill Radu.
1. A New Beginning

A NEW BEGINNING

A NEW BEGINNING

The eye of the future sees him. Millions of stars, twinkling brightly in space, each one unaware of the rest of the universe, content to shine their light oblivious to all. He stared out at them with a wistful sigh. Life had been simpler before. It had been fun, an adventure. He had soared among those stars in his youth, experiencing things other could only imagine and seeing things no one would ever see again. Now, he could only watch from a distance and relish in his memories.

There was a knock at the door. Snapping out of his reverie, he turned his chair away from the large window and back to his desk. Papers were piled up on either side of him, leaving a small cleared area where his current project lay. He made a disgusted face at it and pushed it to one side. In spite of the odds, he had made it. He was where he had always wanted to be.

But he was not happy.

The person on the other side of the door knocked again, more urgently. When no reply was forthcoming, the door cracked open a bit and an alien head poked its way through.

"Admiral?" the young Mercurian asked hesitantly.

The Admiral of the UPP waved the young intern inside. Cautiously, the Mercurian saluted, his gray Starcademy uniform in pristine condition. 

"It's late," the Admiral said. "What are you doing here?"

"Sir, I work at the dispatch unit on the second floor," the student said. "It's my turn to work the night shift."

The Admiral smiled. "Of course. What can I do for you?"

The Mercurian placed a paper on top of the growing pile on the admiral's desk. 

"A dispatch for you, sir," he said with another salute. "It's marked urgent."

The Admiral took the paper and nodded thoughtfully. The Mercurian stood silently, biting his lip uncertainly.

"Dismissed," the Admiral told him, "and thank you."

The Mercurian smiled, finally relaxed after finishing his duty. He saluted a final time before leaving, quietly closing the door behind him.

The Admiral of the UPP turned the paper over, revealing the message written on it. He hoped it wasn't another requisition. In the wake of the month-old Kaesar war, requisitions for nearly everything in the galaxy had come pouring into his office. With a weary sigh, he scanned the message.

"Well, I'll be," he said to himself, a smile growing on his face. 

He put the paper back down on his desk and picked up the small framed picture he kept beside his computer. It was a group shot of himself and his closest friend on a foreign ship in an unnamed galaxy.

"If only you were here to see this, Commander," he told the smiling man in the picture. "You too, Ms. D."

Gently placing the photo on the desk, Admiral Harlan Band took a last lingering look out his window at the night sky before leaving his office for the comfort of his bed.

**********

Eighteen-year old Suni Ianni stared at the front of the class, wishing desperately that she was somewhere else. She had been brought back to Starcademy while the Spung Homeworld was being repaired, her diplomatic relations credit being completed in school. The Kaesar war had ended only a month before with the strange aliens who had terrorized the Spung leaving with an apology and nothing more. 

A few weeks ago, her Kaesar friend Spek had disappeared from Starcademy leaving behind a short note saying he wanted to rejoin his people. Suni still did not understand his reasoning, but wished him luck all the same. 

The bell rang abruptly, snapping Suni out of her reverie. She grabbed her books and raced out the door, hoping to catch her friends in the biosphere so they could walk to lunch together. 

As the doors to the sphere slid open, she saw her two closest friends sitting under the large tree in the center of the park-like habitat. As Suni ran to meet them, she remembered her mother telling her how she and her friends had always talked under the tree, and a pang of homesickness swept through her. The only child of Rosie Ianni and Bova stopped in front of her friends and greeted them with a smile.

"Ready to eat?" she asked.

Atreus laughed. "I see your Uranusian heritage is shining through again."

Suni made a face. Atreus was part of the growing number of Andromedan students at Starcademy. He was the son of Arista, the Governor of New Andromeda and was the first egg to be fully raised by both his natural parents. He was only eleven years old, but looked and acted like an eighteen year old with his long black hair and bright, intelligent blue eyes.

"Watch it, or I'll zap you one!" Suni warned, her fingers sparking electricity.

Tethys' gentle laughter joined that of Atreus. Tethys was the Crown Princess of Neptune as the only child of Queen Clito and King Bran. A few years before her birth, the rival kingdoms of Neptune had joined, ending centuries of civil war. She was seventeen years old and every bit the princess. Her delicate green skin and long, silky green hair seemed oddly out of place beneath her gray Starcademy uniform, yet she wore it with pride.

"Come on," Tethys said. "We wouldn't want Suni to waste away, now would we?"

Suni stuck out her tongue at Tethys and the princess gasped.

"That was terribly rude and very unladylike," Tethys protested.

"Suni ain't no lady," Atreus called over his shoulder. "Come on, I'm starting to get hungry now too."

"And you don't want to get in the way of a hungry Andromedan," Suni joked.

Atreus nodded. "That's right."

Laughing, the trio left the biosphere and headed towards the cafeteria.

**********

After her last few classes, Suni headed to the room she shared with Tethys. A few years ago, Starcademy had switched its dormitory style from a large room of curtained off bunks to small two-person bedrooms. As 'nieces' of Admiral Band, it was more than coincidence that Suni and Tethys ended up together.

Tethys was already there when Suni opened the door. The elegant Neptunian was stretched out on her bed reading a textbook. She glanced up as Suni entered and gestured to Suni's desk.

"We got mail," she said. "It's for both of us, but I thought I'd wait until you showed up to open it."

Suni picked up the envelope and tore it open. Tethys sat up in anticipation as Suni's eyes widened and a smile crossed her face.

"Well?" Tethys asked.

Instead of answering, Suni handed the message over to her friend. Tethys smiled eagerly and clapped her hands together excitedly. 

"This is great!" she said. Suddenly, a frown passed over her face. "What will I wear?"

**********

Suni was busy the rest of the night with phone calls. She had attempted to do her homework, but found herself far too excited. It was then that she decided to phone her mother.

Chief Medical Officer Rosie Ianni's face appeared on the viewscreen. Suni smiled in spite of herself. Age had given Rosie a warm, motherly look and her face was wrinkled with laughter and smile lines. Suni always found comfort in her mother's face, as if it were somehow the solution to every problem.

"Hello, dear," Rosie said. "I assume you heard the news?"

Suni nodded. "I got the message today. I'm so excited!"

"Calm down," Rosie told her. "It's still a few weeks away."

"But they've been waiting over twenty years," Suni exclaimed. "How can I help but be excited for them?"

Rosie smiled. "You have no idea, child."

Suni sobered up. She thought she saw a hint of sadness in her mother's eyes, an emotion she had never thought her mother had.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Suni asked suddenly.

"I'm fine," Rosie replied. "You don't know Radu like I do, that's all."

Suni decided not to pursue the matter. She and her mother talked about trivial things for a few more minutes before saying goodbye. Suni then called Yensid to discuss plans with her Aunt Catalina and was upset to discover that her Aunt Suzee had vanished several weeks ago without word.

"Don't worry about it," Catalina told her. "Suzee is always disappearing with that silly portal device of hers. She'll be back in time."

"I hope so," Suni said. "Uncle Radu and Aunt Elmira would be upset if she wasn't there." She paused. "Can I call her that yet?"

Catalina laughed. "I would wait until after the wedding, dear."

Suni smiled. "Okay. Good night, Aunt Catalina."

"Good night, Suni. I'll see you in a week or so."

Suni hung up the phone and tiptoed back into her room. Tethys had gone to sleep already and Suni lay in her bed trying to do the same. She found that sleep would not come that easily. All she could think about was Radu and Elmira.

After twenty long years of waiting, they were finally getting married.

**********

Radu smiled fondly at his bride-to-be, sleeping quietly beside him. Preparations for their wedding, he had found out, had been going on secretly since Elmira had first realized he had returned. Radu's smile faded as he absently traced the scar that ran from his chin to his right cheek. He had been gone for so long, had done so many things, how had Elmira found it in her heart to forgive him? 

How had he found it in his heart to forgive her? a part of him asked. It was her, after all, who had married another and not told him. It was her who had refueled his fire of hatred toward the Spung. It was her who had lured him back to her planet with whispered words of promise, of destiny.

Radu shook his head. No matter what he had thought back then, he had never stopped loving her. That was what had kept him going for twenty long years. Now she was sleeping beside him, the woman he loved, her orange hair spilling onto the pillow and her green skin glowing in the soft morning light. He had her now, and she had him. It was their destiny.

She stirred, opening her blue eyes and yawning lazily. She smiled at him and he smiled back, relishing the perfection of the moment.

"Good morning," he whispered.

"Good morning," she said, lifting her head to kiss him.

"What's on the agenda today?" he asked as she rose out of bed and slipped into her robe.

"A meeting with the lesser lords to announce our marriage," she said with a smile. "You will become the first non-Spung Warlord."

"The first Andromedan non-Spung Warlord," he corrected. "Not that we need a Warlord anymore."

Elmira selected a gown from her enormous wardrobe and began to dress. Radu sat on the bed and watched her.

"If all goes well with the lesser lords," Elmira continued, "I'll announce the marriage to the people this afternoon and in two weeks, we'll be husband and wife."

Radu smiled. "Husband and wife," he repeated. "Did the invitations get sent out already?"

Elmira nodded as she sat down to brush her hair. Radu stood and began to dress himself.

"The whole gang should be here next week," she said. "I took the liberty of inviting them early so we can have some quiet time before the festivities."

Radu smiled. "Good thinking."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek and she smiled at him. Placing her golden diadem on her forehead, she stood and modeled herself to Radu.

"How do I look?" she asked girlishly.

"Like an Empress," he replied. "How about me?"

He was wearing an olive green uniform with a black shirt underneath. His long blond hair was tied away from his face and neatly brushed.

"Like a Warlord," she answered. "Come on, let's go greet the masses."

Every morning, Elmira and Radu would enter the throne room together. Elmira sat on her throne with Radu on a smaller chair beside her, indicating his submissive rank. Elmira would go over any daily dispatches that were present, hear from the elder council, and conduct business as usual. Afterwards, the lesser lords would conduct a private council with her alone to address the most serious problems of the day. It was very strict and formal, but Elmira insisted that some Spung traditions be maintained and Radu agreed. That morning, however, the daily dispatches were cut short as the lesser lords quickly herded their Empress into the private council room to discuss the upcoming betrothal announcement.

**********

Radu waited patiently in his and Elmira's room for his future bride to emerge with happy news. He knew she would be able to convince the majority of lesser lords to approve of their marriage and even if they protested, she could remind them of her most recent prophecy.

_War a memory, peace at last. Spung triumph is forgetting the past_

Radu found the prophecy somewhat unnerving. The Spung had made a lot of progress simply by bringing up their past. If they forgot it now, maybe it signaled a reversion to their old ways.

Elmira had laughed at his concern, simply telling him not to worry. She had believed the prophecy to mean by forgetting the old ways of slavery, the Spung would oversee Radu's race and regard him as an equal. Radu had been forced to admit that the prophecy could be read as such, but also knew that the oracle's interpretation was not necessarily correct.

To pass the time, Radu decided to make a phone call. His fingers dialed the number almost unconsciously and he waited as the phone rang. A familiar face appeared on the video screen.

"Starbase 7, Commander Bova here," Bova said.

"Hi, Bova," Radu said cheerfully. "How's life on the other side of the galaxy?"

"Hey, Radu!" Bova exclaimed, smiling brightly. "How's royalty treating you?"

Radu smiled back, admiring again the work Rosie had done on her previously pessimistic husband. The Uranusian had nearly shed all his gloomy tendencies and had become almost as upbeat as his wife.

"Pretty good so far," Radu said. "I take it you got the invitation?"

"Of course," Bova replied. "Rosie and Suni are so excited, I can barely talk to them. They're counting down the days until the transport leaves."

"It has been a while since you and Rosie left the station," Radu reminded him.

"We left a month or so ago," Bova objected.

"To fight a war," Radu laughed. "That hardly counts as a vacation."

Bova shrugged. "Either way, we left here, didn't we?"

Radu smiled and shook his head. "You should really treat your wife better. Wine and dine her. You know she likes that."

"Of course I know," Bova said. "I thought that was what the wedding was for."

Radu laughed again. He and his old friend chatted amicably for about an hour, both of them momentarily forgetting the duties they were supposed to be attending to. It was a welcome break for both and it was with great regret when they finally hung up.

Radu moved to his desk by the large window and picked up some dispatches. He had meant to read them over while Elmira was in her meeting, but he had felt the urge to talk with a familiar face. Now that his conversation was over, he returned to his work with a sigh.

Suddenly, the window creaked open and a large, heavy metal object sailed through it. As Radu watched the object fly in, unseen hands quietly closed the window once more. The object landed in the center of the room with a thud and Radu leapt to his feet. He stared at it in wonder for a moment until his sensitive hearing picked up a faint hissing sound. 

It was the unmistakable sound of escaping gas.

Radu quickly covered his mouth, heading for the door. Turning the knob, he found them locked tightly. Coughing against the growing yellow mist, Radu gently bumped the door, assuming his superior strength would knock it down. It didn't budge. Radu struck the door harder, fear rising within him as the gas continued to invade his lungs. He couldn't help but breath it in and as a result, felt dizzy and disoriented. He finally resorted to something he had not done in a long time.

He used his full strength against the wooden door.

It splintered and Radu pushed the pieces aside, gulping in the cool, clean air of the hallway. He noticed that two large statues had been propped up against the door and the wall, forming a sideways T-shape in the hallway. Still coughing, Radu left the hall to find out who was responsible for his attempted murder.

**********

Suni, Tethys, and Atreus stepped off the landing platform and into the Spung city. The whole place was a giant floating station created by the Spung when their home world had become too polluted to live on any longer. At that time, the Spung were just beginning their conquering ways and relied on their mobile Homeworld to quickly reach their victims. Now, the Homeworld was a sparkling beacon for trade in the UPP and, although not many traders dared visit it yet, it was slowly becoming a major centre.

"Follow me," Suni said brightly to her friends. 

"Where are you going?" Tethys asked, opening up a parasol to shade herself from the sun. Atreus looked at his friend in disbelief as she gingerly stepped into the spaceport.

"I lived here for several months, remember?" Suni called back. "I know this place like the back of my hand."

"I remember you saying that before when we went camping in the Black Forest of Uranus," Atreus said. "Something about your Uranusian heritage giving you a sense of direction."

"Ugh," Tethys agreed. "I picked brambles out of my hair for days after that mess."

Suni sighed. "Give me a break, guys. That was years ago. Besides, we have to hurry. Uncle Harlan said the message from Elmira was urgent."

Admiral Band had received a message from Elmira the previous day. It was vague, saying only that he had to come to the Homeworld as quickly as possible because something terrible had happened. Harlan Band had been far too busy wrapping up his paperwork so he could make it to the wedding to go himself, so he had sent Suni and her friends to see what all the commotion was about.

As Suni stepped out of the spaceport and into the busy street, half a dozen Imperial guards pushed their way through the crowd, a hover chariot between them. They stopped in front of Suni and the leader bowed.

"Ambassador Ianni," the guard said. "Please come with us to the palace."

Suni blushed slightly at being addressed by her former title. Before the Kaesar War, Suni had served in the Spung court as the UPP Ambassador, trying to earn herself a credit for her diplomacy course. The war, however, had interrupted her studies and had forced her to complete the credit in the dull setting of the Starcademy.

"What's with the escort?" Suni asked.

"Her Majesty insists," the guard replied.

Suni shrugged at her friends and the three of them climbed onto the hover chariot. Barking a quick command, the Spung guard lead the way down the streets. The Spung palace loomed overhead, a silent giant watching its city.

**********

Empress Elmira sat next to her husband-to-be, holding his hand protectively in her own. The small sitting room, normally used as a waiting room for foreign dignitaries, was nearly overflowing with guards posted to watch over the royal couple. Suni, Tethys, and Atreus were escorted into the room, and Radu and Elmira rose as one to greet them. 

"Suni, Atreus," Radu said in greeting.

"Uncle," the two replied as one.

"Your Majesty," Tethys said with a flowing curtsey.

"Your Highness," Elmira replied with a polite nod of her head.

The formalities aside, Suni rushed forward and caught Elmira and Radu in a fierce hug. Radu smiled awkwardly and Elmira patted the girl on the back until she released them.

"I was so worried!" Suni exclaimed. "Uncle Harlan sent me the message and I thought the worst! What happened?"

"Someone isn't as happy about our marriage as we hoped," Radu said grimly. "They tried to kill me."

Suni and Tethys gasped, but Atreus' face hardened. Loyalty was an Andromedan's greatest strength, and Atreus found his strongest loyalty was to his family. An attack on his mother's brother was as good as attacking himself directly.

"Any idea who?" Suni asked.

Elmira shook her head. "I was hoping Harlan would come and maybe bring some of his secret service, but I was afraid he'd too busy."

Suni nodded. "But you have us!"

Tethys and Atreus enthusiastically nodded their agreement. 

"We'll get to the bottom of this," Tethys promised, "before your wedding."

Elmira exchanged a look with Radu and sighed. "We welcome your help, but I'm not sure if you can do anything."

"We can certainly try," Suni said. "Now, where did the attack happen?"

**********

With a little more than a week to solve the puzzle, Suni, Tethys, and Atreus started at once. They inspected the bedroom; Atreus looked over the canister that had held the gas and Tethys collected samples of the lingering traces of the poison. Suni looked around outside for any hint as to where the murderer would have fled. That evening, the trio gathered in Suni's room to discuss their discoveries.

"The poison is familiar," Tethys said. Her mother, Queen Clito, was a great botanist and her passion for plants had passed to her daughter. "A few more tests and I should be able to tell what plant it came from."

"The canister is pretty plain," Atreus reported. He had developed an interest in mechanics at Starcademy, especially dealing with shuttles. "Nothing on it to tell us where it came from."

"No one heard or saw anything," Suni added. The Mercurian/Uranusian loved tactics and diplomacy, but as her mother's daughter had also learned a bit about medicine. She was also a fierce fighter. "There were some tracks outside the window, but I could only follow them to the path before they disappeared. There was more than one set of prints, but that doesn't tell us whether or not there was more than one assassin."

The three sat in silence for a moment, frustrated at having no clues so early in the mystery. 

"Wait a minute," Atreus said. "Didn't Uncle Radu say the window was opened, then closed?"

Suni and Tethys waited expectantly for their friend to continue. The Andromedan rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Finger prints!" Atreus exclaimed, waggling his own fingers in their faces to emphasize his point. 

Suni snapped her fingers. "Of course! You're a genius, Atreus! I'll go check now before they're disturbed."

Without waiting for her friends to come, the pink girl scooted out of the room.

**********

The next morning, Elmira held court as usual. This time, however, Radu stayed with her as she left the throne room for the private chamber where more delicate matters were discussed with the lesser lords. As the Spung Empress swept into the chamber, the lords rose to greet her and stared in surprise as Radu stood behind his bride's chair. His face was grim and emotionless, making him look more dangerous with the scar that ran down the right side of his face. 

"Majesty," Lord Depik began, rising to his feet once the lords had settled. "The private conference is a matter of intimacy between the ruler and the lords. We object to having Lord Radu -" he said the name with distaste "- listening in on our discussions."

"My lord Depik," Elmira said coolly. "Radu is my betrothed and soon to be your Warlord. He should be aware of what is happening in our kingdom."

"But, Your Majesty," Lord Kiplar said as Depik sat, "until the wedding and the formal coronation, these matters should be private." 

"Then," Radu said, speaking for the first time, "in confidence, I tell you this. There has been an attack on my life and possibly on Elmira's as well."

The lesser lords gasped, but Radu's finely tuned hearing could not tell whether or not the concern was genuine.

"Until the would-be assassins are caught," Radu continued, "I will be fulfilling my duty as Lord Protector to Empress Elmira."

"What is being done?" a third lord demanded.

"We are currently searching for the murderers," Elmira assured them. "The UPP has sent some people to assist us."

Behind her, she just barely heard Radu's sigh and she hid her smile behind her hand.

**********

"Stay still!" Suni protested.

"This is absolutely ruining my hair," Tethys informed her friend.

From beneath Tethys, Atreus snorted in laughter. The three were piled on top of one another outside the window that lead to Radu and Elmira's second story bedroom. Suni had investigated the previous night but, finding the window too high, had returned empty handed. Now, as the sun crested the eastern horizon of the floating city, the three friends made a human ladder to reach the window sill. 

"At least we know there was more than one," Atreus said from the bottom of the pile.

Tethys grunted in frustration from atop the Andromedan's shoulders. She tried to smooth some of her hair away from Suni's feet as the pink girl stood on her shoulders to reach the sill.

"Why are you on top, anyway?" Tethys objected.

"I'm smallest, I'm lightest," Suni called down, "and I'm the only one who knows how to gather fingerprints. Now stay still!"

Suni spread the thin, white powder over the window pane and was rewarded with three distinct prints. Carefully, she used a piece of tape to pick up the prints and nearly fell over as Tethys tried to rearrange her shirt. 

"Watch it!" Suni snapped.

"Sorry," Tethys muttered. "Are you done yet?"

"Quit complaining," Atreus said. "I'm the one holding both of you."

"But you can pick up a star ship without breaking into a sweat," Tethys added. "Not an accurate comparison."

"I'm done," Suni announced. "Let me down."

Carefully and not too gracefully, the humanoid ladder separated into three people. Suni held the taped fingerprints and a small bag that held a single strand of hair.

"To the crime lab!" Suni exclaimed.

"The what?" Atreus asked.

Suni blushed. "Sorry. Uncle Harlan was showing me old Earth detective holofilms. Let's figure out who these finger prints belong to."

Suni led the way back into the palace. At the doorway, Atreus paused and glanced back the way they had come. His sensitive hearing had picked up something, but he was not sure what it was. He concentrated hard, but could not detect it again. 

"Atreus?" Tethys called.

"Coming," the Andromedan called back.

With a shrug, he entered the palace. From the edge of the palace garden, a shadow detached itself from the wall and slunk back into the Spung city.

**********

While Suni and Atreus put the fingerprints and strand of hair through rigorous testing in the make-shift laboratory Elmira had provided for them, Tethys decided to do further research into the poisonous gas. She knew from the concentration of the dose that the plant used to make the poison was either indigenous to the Spung Homeworld or had been imported from a nearby planet. The Neptunian princess headed to Elmira's gardens where most of the Homeworld's plant life could be found. 

She wandered around for a little over an hour, cutting samples from various plants and simply enjoying the others. Elmira had collected specimens of numerous plants from all over the UPP for her garden and Tethys lingered near the Neptunian rosebush, savouring the well-known smell. 

Suddenly, a familiar scent caught her attention. It was not the gentle fragrance of the flowers but the putrid stench of the poisonous gas that had lingered in the room after the attack. Cautiously, Tethys followed her nose. The plant she found was one she had seen before only in textbooks - the rare and deadly yilith plant. The nectar of the yilith was toxic and if it was collected and boiled into a gas, it would be highly poisonous. Tethys carefully snipped a blossom of the yellow plant and sealed it in a specimen bag before turning to leave the garden. 

She was so excited to show Suni and Atreus her discovery that she didn't see the strong hands coming towards her. Without enough time to let out a scream, Tethys felt a moist cloth press against her nose and mouth. She inhaled involuntarily and passed out into a deep, dark sleep.

**********

Radu paced back and forth in the room he shared with Elmira. The Spung Empress watched from her seat on the bed as her future husband strode past her. The scar on his face glowed in the evening light, causing a chill to run down Elmira's spine. Radu, her beloved Radu, so hurt and angry, so long ago. She longed to caress him, but held herself back.

"The Spung factions have gone too far this time," Radu muttered. "They've petitioned and protested to have me thrown off the Homeworld, but now they're resorting to murder!"

"Peace, love," Elmira soothed. "How do you know it was the factions?"

"Who else?" Radu asked. He ran a tired hand across his face. "The polls said that nearly sixty percent of the Spung would accept me as Warlord, but for the other forty percent, I'm a threat. It only takes one bullet to make those few people happy."

Elmira smiled, thinking of the many times Radu had nearly been killed. It obviously did take more than one bullet, but she wasn't going to point that out now.

"I'll have to strike them first," Radu decided abruptly. "I'll take some soldier to their headquarters and get them before they get me."

"Radu," Elmira said firmly. "I can't allow that. My future husband will not being his reign by slaughtering his people without proof. I know that deep down you still hold a grudge against the Spung and I won't let you take out your hostilities on innocents."

Radu whirled to face her, stopping in mid pace. For a moment, Elmira feared that Radu was gone and his alter ego DogStar had come back. Radu glared at her for a split second before smiling. 

"You're right, love, as usual," he said. "I can't get too paranoid about this. It's probably what they want."

"And Suni, Atreus, and Tethys are out searching for the murderers now," Elmira reminded him.

Radu nodded. "You're right again." He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'm getting too old for this."

Elmira laughed, reached out, and caught his hand. She pulled him onto the bed and he came willingly, losing himself in his love and forgetting about his hate.

**********

"I don't believe this," Suni gasped.

"What?" Atreus asked, coming closer.

Suni sat in front of a microscope in the lab. She had been going over the fingerprints for a few hours, looking everywhere for a match but had found nothing. Frustrated, she had switched her attention to the strand of hair.

Suni pushed her chair back and allowed her friend to look into the microscope. Atreus did, and unconsciously ran his fingers through his own long black hair. He looked up at his friend, his face echoing the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

She shook her head. "No, not yours. Not Radu's either."

"But definitely Andromedan," Atreus confirmed.

"So an Andromedan was trying to kill Uncle Radu," Suni agreed, "but why and who?"

"And where's Tethys?" Atreus added, looking around the lab.

Suni gasped and leapt to her feet. Her eyes quickly scanned the room in case Atreus had missed her sitting somewhere. The princess was nowhere to be seen. 

"She shouldn't have wandered off alone!" Suni cried. "The assassins are still out there!"

"Let's go!" Atreus called, nearly at the door as he spoke.

Abandoning their discovery, the two students raced from the lab in search of their friend.

**********

Tethys moaned softly and turned her head. She was surprised to find that she did not hurt very much, although her mind felt clouded and thick. Slowly, she opened her eyes and winced as the sudden light exploded before her. She squeezed her eyes closed again, took a deep steadying breath, and opened them once more.

Above her she could see several bright lights. She could also make out the top four corners of her prison. Turning her head, she followed the lines of the walls with her eyes and realized her cage was entirely transparent. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she looked around again and confirmed what she had thought before. Her cage was made of solid, transparent plastic and was completely escape proof for someone who could become liquid.

Tethys looked through the walls of her prison and realized she was in the cargo hold of a ship. It struck her with a heart wrenching certainty that she was no longer on the Spung Homeworld, but somewhere - anywhere - in space, far from her friends. She shook off the last lingering effects of the drug and rose to her feet.

Before her, a door slid open. The Neptunian princess guessed that the door led to the cockpit of the ship, but thought nothing more as a figure stepped into the cargo hold. The shadows of the room consumed the person, but Tethys knew from her brief glance that it was not a Spung. 

"Hungry?" the figure asked.

Tethys's eyes widened in shock as the figure stepped into full view, holding a tray of food before him. It was an Andromedan! Her captor had long red hair that hung loose down his back and green eyes. He didn't appear to be very old, but then Andromedans never looked their age. 

"You're not what we're after, if that's what you're worried about," the Andromedan continued conversationally, stepping closer to the box. "We're after something more important than a single Neptunian."

The Andromedan's tone struck a nerve within Tethys. "Do you have any idea who I am?" she demanded.

The Andromedan chuckled. "No, and frankly, it doesn't matter. Here, eat something."

Tethys turned her back to him. He sighed and shifted the tray to one hand, reaching down with the other. He picked up the corner of the heavy plastic box and slid the tray underneath. Tethys watched out of the corner of her eye.

"Don't get any ideas," the Andromedan warned. "Those lights up there can get hot enough to evaporate a liquefied Neptunian. It doesn't kill you, I've been told, but it would hurt. A lot."

Without another word, he turned and left the cargo hold. Tethys stared after him, glancing up at the lights. She had never been evaporated herself, but had heard horror stories from Neptunians who had. Suppressing a shudder, Tethys sat down in front of the tray and nibbled at the food.

**********

Suni and Atreus met up in Elmira's garden after a frantic palace-wide search for their missing friend. Both had come empty handed and Suni felt sick with worry. Atreus didn't look much better when he arrived.

"Nothing," he reported.

"Same here," Suni replied. "Vanished without a trace."

Atreus sighed and started walking down the path, Suni a step behind him. He had his hands clasped behind his back in thought, his eyes staring down at the path before him. Suddenly, he faltered a step and fell to one knee. Suni was next to him in an instant.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I - I don't know," Atreus mumbled, one hand pressed against his head. "Suddenly, I felt very - weak."

Suni looked around for signs of an attack when her eyes came to rest on a yellow plant. It looked very beautiful in the afternoon sunlight, but there was something strange about it. Stepping closer, Suni smelled a familiar scent coming from the plant. On closer inspection, she saw that a blossom had been cut from it quite recently. Bending, she read the name.

"Yilith," Suni repeated out loud.

Behind her, Atreus moaned sickly. Suni took a few steps around the plant, inspecting it from all angles when she saw the blossom that had been cut resting by her feet in a plastic bag. The soft dirt path had been disturbed by several feet and Suni recognized the cutters as belonging to Tethys. Suni had given the cutters to her friend last year as a birthday present, and a green letter "T" was engraved into the handle. The pink girl scooped it up and followed the foot prints a few steps until she heard Atreus's sick call again. 

Abandoning her pursuit, she returned to Atreus but paused to pick up the specimens Tethys had collected. She helped her friend to his feet and led him away from the yellow yilith plant. Strangely, the further Atreus was from it, the better he felt. As they walked, Suni filled him in on her discoveries.

"So," Atreus summarized, "whoever tried to kill Uncle Radu has Tethys, and neither of them will be safe until we find the assassins."

Suni nodded grimly. "But how do we do that?"

"I think I have an idea," Atreus replied.

**********

Word spread around the Homeworld like wildfire. The servants told their friends, who told their friends, and soon it was on everyone's lips. Trouble at the palace. The Andromedan Warlord couldn't even control his own nephew, never mind the rest of the planet. The Empress had chosen wrong with Radu. Radu's nephew had run off, calling his uncle a traitor. Radu had thrown him out, denouncing him from the family. The rumors grew more and more out of hand with each telling until it became impossible to separate truth from fiction.

Radu sat in the throne room alone, his mind still spinning from his recent argument with Atreus. He hadn't meant to yell at the boy, he had spoken rashly in his anger and fear, but it had been enough to make him storm out. Elmira and Suni were nowhere to be found, leaving Radu alone with his thoughts. He wasn't even sure how it had began. 

Atreus had come into the throne room to report to Radu that his would-be killers were not Spung, but Andromedan. Radu had immediately dismissed the idea, despite Atreus's evidence. The boy had become enraged and had accused Radu of being too self absorbed to realized that not everyone approved of his marriage plans. That had been enough to push Radu off the deep end and now, he sat alone in the throne room while his only nephew wandered outside in a hostile world. 

**********

The sun was beginning to set as a cloaked figure made his way into the tavern. The regular Spung patrons moved aside as the stranger made his way to a table and sat. He threw back his hood to reveal his Andromedan feature. His blue eyes scanned the crowd and came to rest on a group of three, each dressed in a brown cloak. Atreus had to strain to hear their conversation from his seat across the room and deduced at once that the trio were Andromedan. No other species could have eluded his hearing, even if they were speaking in a whisper. 

Atreus sat back and allowed himself a slight smile. He had been searching most of the night for these three men, although he had not been sure until he had found them in this inn. After his argument with his uncle, Atreus had stormed out of the palace, hoping that he was convincing enough for the rumors to spread. Suni had disagreed with his idea, but had promised to spread the word around the servants about the fight. It was the only way the rebellious Andromedan assassins would come to trust the nephew of their target. Atreus only hoped that Radu was not too hurt.

The barkeep came over to the table. Atreus glanced up at the Spung dressed in a ripped shirt and filthy white apron. The Spung didn't look too please to be serving an Andromedan either, but cleared his throat all the same.

"What'll it be?" he demanded. The note of malice in his voice was not lost on Atreus. 

"Beer," Atreus replied in a gruff voice, his eyes returning to the three Andromedans.

"Money," the Spung said, thrusting out his three fingered hand for the coins. 

Slowly, Atreus pulled out two coins and put them on the Spung barkeep's palm. One of the trio had noticed him and was watching over the heads of his companions. The Spung barkeep glanced at the coins and threw them back to the table in disgust.

"Real money!" he demanded.

Atreus rose to his feet. The other two Andromedans were watching him now. Good, Atreus thought. Time for the show to begin.

"I only carry pure money," Atreus said loudly. "Andromedan Gilvas, not your worthless Spung dollars."

The Spung barkeep swelled up with rage. He stepped back so Atreus could leave and pointed to the door. Atreus glared at him a moment longer, noticed that he had the full attention of the Andromedan trio, and headed for the door. As he passed the trio, a hand caught his arm.

"Peace brother," a voice whispered. "A word with you outside?"

Atreus nodded slightly and kept moving. He had his meeting with the rebels. Now all he had to do was make sure they were the right group.

**********

Suni stood next to Elmira and Radu as the shuttle craft landed just outside the palace. The ship bore the marks of the UPP on both sides and settled gently on the ground. Suni noticed it was a new model, barely three months old. She smiled as the hatch opened and two cadets scrambled out to put down the steps.

"Forget about that," a voice from inside ordered. "I'm not that old yet."

The two cadets hesitated, suddenly unsure of their duty. They stepped back and saluted as a man stepped out of the ship wearing the gleaming white uniform of UPP Admiral. Behind him came two women with rainbow colour hair, a Mercurian, and a Uranusian.

"Welcome to the Spung Homeworld," Elmira said formally. "Be at peace while among us."

Radu bowed formally, and the Admiral returned the greeting. A split second later, the Admiral of the UPP had the Andromedan Warlord in a fierce hug.

"Radu," Harlan said. "It's been too long."

"I've missed you too, Harlan," Radu replied. "Life isn't nearly as dangerous when you're not around."

Harlan's eyes twinkled in amusement and he stepped aside to let the others greet their friend. Catalina and Suzee approached, one dressed in the orange uniform of a Yensidian Official underneath a UPP jacket while the other wore the blue uniform of a Guider. They hugged Radu warmly.

"Cat, Suzee," Radu said. "I'm so glad you could come."

"It took me until yesterday to find her," Catalina said, gesturing to Suzee with her thumb.

Suzee blushed slightly. "The portal device still isn't perfected. You can't expect the communications system to work flawlessly either."

Radu laughed and turned to see an aged Mercurian coming towards him. He barely had time to open his arms again as Rosie came flying into his embrace. Catalina and Suzee moved to chat with Elmira, and Bova stood behind his wife. 

"Rosie," Radu whispered. 

"Hello, Radu," Rosie said. "I'm still overwhelmed every time I see you."

Radu let his friend go. She was referring to the period of twenty years when he had vanished without a trace, consumed in his hatred of the Spung and especially of the lies Elmira had told him. He had abandoned all he had known until a few months ago when his friends had joined together to bring him home. 

"Mother," Suni said formally.

Rosie embraced her daughter as Radu greeted Bova. 

"Nice to see you," Bova said. "In person, I mean."

Radu laughed. "You too, Bova. Now go say hello to your daughter."

Rosie, Bova, and Suni formed a small group as they caught up on everything that had happened since Suni's last visit to Starbase 7. Radu went to join Elmira with his other friends.

"Where's Atreus and Tethys?" Catalina asked.

"Tethys was capture after the attempted murder," Elmira explained. "Radu and Atreus had a - disagreement a few days ago, and Atreus hasn't been seen since."

The group fell silent. 

"I hope for both your sakes that you find them before Clito and Arista show up," Suzee said. 

Harlan laughed and somehow, it make Radu feel better. His family was together again, not the family he had discovered on Andromeda, but the one he had made on that fateful trip so many years ago.

**********

Atreus worked as a spy for the Andromedan rebellion for several days before they trusted him enough to let him in on their plans. Their leader, a redheaded Andromedan named Amar 564, had been ordering Atreus around since he joined and finally brought him aside. They had made their base in an abandoned factory near the outskirts of the Homeworld, close enough to the false atmosphere to allow small ships the ability to come and go undetected by the Spung. 

"Atreus," Amar said. "I'm going to trust your loyalty and bring you to our headquarters on the Second Orbiting Moon."

"Headquarters?" Atreus asked. "For what?"

"If the Master judges you worthy, he will tell you," Amar said. "Not many of us are privy to the entire plan. We know our roles and that is all. I think you may be too good a chance to pass up. We need someone familiar with the palace and that person is you."

Atreus nodded, wondering how much he would have to betray his uncle before this Master would trust him.

Amar slapped him on the shoulder amicably. "We leave in half an hour. Be ready."

**********

The shuttle trip to the S.O.M. was very quick. Atreus sat silently in his seat, Amar beside him and an unknown Andromedan at the helm. In no time, they were settling down inside a huge metal complex.

"Follow me," Amar said, heaving himself out of his chair and exiting the shuttle.

Wordlessly, Atreus followed. He was careful to remember where they were headed. He knew he would need to find the shuttle bay again soon, once he had met this Master and found Tethys. He wondered how Suni was doing. The other guests should have arrived by now and Atreus hoped they didn't think less of him for doing this. He hoped Radu would understand once it was all over.

"Wait here," Amar ordered.

Atreus nodded once and stood still as Amar disappeared behind a sliding steel door. As Atreus waited, he heard something drifting down the hallway. It was someone singing, and it took him only a second to identify the familiar voice. Tethys had often sang for them while they lounged around in the biosphere at the Starcademy, and Atreus recognized the song. He fought the urge to run down the hallway to find his friend as the doors before him slid open again and Amar stepped out.

"The Master will see you right away," Amar said. "Please go in."

Atreus didn't hesitate as he stepped through the door and heard them click closed behind him. He could still faintly hear Tethys's song and he held it to him like a comforting blanket. He hummed along with her, his tenor voice mixing with her high soprano melody. Feeling reassured by the music, Atreus continued deeper into the room.

The room in which he stood was dark, with only faint light coming from the back wall. It illuminated a figure seated on a raised chair. The figure was Andromedan, with long hair to the floor and the distinctive ears, but the poor lighting prevented Atreus from making out any other details.

"Atreus," he said. "You have proven yourself these past few days, but not enough to know the full extent of my plan."

The figure paused, as if expecting Atreus to speak. When the younger Andromedan remained silent, the figure continued.

"You will remain here for a while," he said. "Guard our hostage well. That will prove your loyalty to us over your uncle. Fail in your task and you will be put to death."

"Forgive me," Atreus said, speaking at last, "but what use is a hostage? It's Radu we want, right?"

"Poor fool," the figure said. "The hostage will not be wasted. Her death will serve as an example to the Spung that we Andromedans are strong once again. We will not be their slaves, like Radu is to the Empress. We will rule them as they once ruled us!"

Atreus bowed, his long hair hiding his face. Something was not right here. "I wish to stay and talk some more," he said, soft enough for only another Andromedan to hear.

"You may go now, Atreus," the Master said. "Go and guard our hostage well."

Atreus straightened, turned, and left the room. He found another Andromedan outside waiting to lead him to Tethys. At least he had found his friend. 

**********

Tethys sat in her plastic prison, singing to herself. She didn't care who heard her in this place full of Andromedans, but hoped that they listened carefully to her words. Her song was of the Neptunian civil war that had raged on her planet for years before her mother and father had united the people. It spoke of pride, loyalty, suffering, and especially friendship. The two Neptunian continents had feuded for generations, but had overcome their differences for peace. Tethys hoped the Andromedans took her song to heart. 

She had no idea where she was being held. They had moved her from the ship by covering her cage with a black cloth so she had been unable to see anything. Two Andromedans had carried her to this room, uncovered her cage, and left her alone again. The room was void of any decoration and was almost like a opaque extension of her plastic cage, save the door. Tethys stared at the door, willing it to open, and nearly cried out loud when it did. 

An Andromedan entered, but then Tethys hadn't expected anyone else. The bright lights over her cage prevented her from seeing the face of her new guard, but there was something about his stance that seemed very - familiar to her. 

"Tethys?" the Andromedan whispered.

The Neptunian princess frowned. How had they figured out who she was? Her guard stepped closer to the cage, into the light, and Tethys gasped. The black haired, blue eyed Andromedan before her was Atreus!

"What are you doing here?" Tethys asked.

"Guarding you," Atreus replied.

Tethys blinked in surprise. She scanned her friend's face and saw the worry and tension in his eyes, as if he was being torn in two. She trusted him, even if he appeared to be on the wrong side, but was still confused.

"Don't try to escape," Atreus warned. 

"Atreus," Tethys began.

He held up his hand to silence her, then pulled one of his ears. The princess nodded in understanding. Without saying another word, Atreus turned and left the room. 

**********

Suni paced back and forth across the room she had shared with Atreus and Tethys. The wedding was in little more than a week and still no sign of either of her friends. She had hated Atreus's plan from the beginning, knowing that nothing good could come out of it. Whether it was an act or not, Atreus was earning himself a reputation among the Spung, and that reputation was not doing him - or Radu - any favours. Radu had retreated from her, ignoring her reports. Being with his friends had helped ease the pain of Atreus's apparent betrayal, but Suni suspected it was all a front. She sighed. Clito and Arista were due to arrive any day now. How would they react to their missing children?

The door to her room slide open and Suni barely paused in her pacing to see who it was. Elmira stepped into the room and silently closed the door behind her. Her robes of office were missing and instead she wore a simply blue dress. The Spung empress came into the room and sat on the bed, arranging her tail around her feet so Suni wouldn't trip. The Empress wordlessly watched the girl pace.

"I don't know what to do!" Suni admitted suddenly, never breaking her stride.

"Atreus will pull through," Elmira assured her.

"But when?" Suni asked. "He's been gone forever without a word. Uncle Radu is furious, and when Arista arrives"

"Radu is more hurt than angry," Elmira said, lowering her eyes. "I desperately want to reassure him, but I dare not blow Atreus's cover."

Suni stopped walking and stared at the empress. Quickly, she sat next to Elmira and gave her a hug. Elmira returned the embrace as both women sought comfort.

"I'm sorry!" Suni apologized. "I've been so wrapped up in worry, I forgot how the whole thing must be treating you!"

Elmira smiled weakly and patted Suni on the back as they broke off their hug. "Tethys and Atreus will both be back for the wedding. I have faith in that."

Suni returned the smile. "I wish I had as much faith as you."

**********

Atreus stood in the back of the meeting hall, listening and silently committing faces to memory. He had passed his test by not freeing Tethys and now none of the Andromedan rebels doubted his loyalty. 

Their leader, the red haired Amar, stood at the front of the room waiting for the others assembled to come to order. The group was not large, about twenty or so disgruntled Andromedans. Some still bore the marks of their recent slavery. Atreus concealed his surprise behind an unreadable expression as he surveyed the group. 

"We must come to order!" Amar shouted to the group. "Time is short!"

The crowd lapsed into silence. Atreus stood straighter, wondering why Amar was so pressed for time.

"We must complete our plans," Amar continued. "We strike in three days or else not at all."

The Andromedans grumbled at the thought of losing their chance. Atreus frowned. Why three days?

"I will lead our troops to the Homeworld and we will gain access to the palace disguised as diplomats from New Andromeda. Atreus will join me to vouch for us," Amar explained. "We'll arrive before the wedding and strike before the ceremony begins."

The wedding! Atreus nearly gasped aloud. Was it only three days away?

"How will we get close enough?" someone shouted. "The royal couple will be heavily guarded."

"Atreus knows the palace like no one else," Amar said, nodding in Atreus's direction. "He will lead us to Radu and get us in."

"All of us?" another asked incredulously.

"Not all," Amar amended. "Atreus will go alone, offer peace to his uncle for their fight. When Radu agrees, Atreus will kill him."

The people in the room burst into applause. Atreus forced a smile as he was patted on the back and commended for his bravery.

"What about the Neptunian?" the first speaker questioned.

"Leave her to me," Atreus said, speaking for the first time. "I'll dispose of her."

Amar nodded in agreement. "It will be as the Master promised us. The Spung Empire in chaos, their people treated as slaves. They will know the punishment they forced us to endure!"

**********

Amar walked down the halls of the moon base, going over the final details of the plan in his mind. The Master had approved of his scheme, to have the only nephew of the Spung loving Andromedan murder him was too perfect. Amar once again thanked his lucky stars that they had met Atreus in the bar those long weeks ago. Amar wondered briefly how Atreus planned to get rid of the Neptunian, his former friend. 

Suddenly, a shrill scream sounded through the halls. It was short and full of pain before going deathly silent. Amar smiled and turned down the hall that lead to the prisoner's cage. He found Atreus just leaving the room, sweat pouring down his face.

"What happened?" Amar demanded.

Atreus motioned to the door with a jerk of his head. "I disposed of her. Turned up the lights real hot and evaporated her alive. You might want to steer clear of that room until it cools off."

"I thought evaporation only hurts them," Amar frowned.

"Not if you evaporate them before they turn into liquid," Atreus smiled. "It's hotter than Mercury in the summer in there."

Atreus reached for a flask he had attached to his belt and took a long drink. He offered the flask to Amar, who refused politely.

"Good work, Atreus," Amar said. "Now rest up. We leave for the Homeworld tomorrow."

Atreus frowned. "But I thought we had three days."

"We do, but I think it's best if we go early and settle in. Less conspicuous that way."

Atreus nodded and Amar slapped him on the shoulder and continued down the hall. Atreus listened to him whistle happily long after he disappeared from view.

**********

Atreus crouched next to the large, noisy furnace. He had barred the door, although he knew the flimsy bar wouldn't hold out against Andromedan strength. It would give him time, anyway. 

The noise of the furnace was so loud, it made him grit his teeth in pain as he poured out the contents of his flask. The water inside it leaked out, then pulled itself together and rose off the ground into a humanoid shape. Finally, it solidified and Tethys crouched beside him.

"What now?" she asked, speaking normally in spite of the furnace.

Atreus had filled her in on Amar's plan before they had staged her death. The Andromedan tucked a piece of his long hair behind his ear. 

"You'll have to stay in the flask for a while longer," Atreus said. "I'll hide you in the shuttle and when we land on the Homeworld tomorrow, you can sneak out and get back to the palace. Warn Suni and Elmira, but make sure Uncle Radu doesn't know."

Tethys made a face. "I hate that flask. You almost drank me before! What happens if someone finds the flask and takes a sip?"

Atreus smiled. "I'll put a poison label on it and tell people it's a backup plan in case the original plan doesn't work. In the worst case, you'll be thrown through a window."

The princess groomed her long hair as best she could with her fingers while Atreus talked. The Andromedan was impressed at how well Tethys had handled her captivity. He would never have guessed she would remain so calm. 

"You'll at least let me out when we're back in your room so I can sleep, right?" Tethys asked. "That stupid bottle is so cramped!"

"Sorry," Atreus said. "The Andromedans will hear your heartbeat and wonder why I suddenly developed two hearts. It's too risky."

Tethys sighed. "Very well. Just make sure no one drinks me. Your mother drank my mother once and it nearly killed her!"

Atreus smiled. "I promise. Now get in the flask."

Tethys stuck out her tongue at Atreus and disappeared into a pool of water. She slithered into the open flask and Atreus put the lid firmly in place. Unbarring the door, he left the furnace room for the small bed he had been given. Tomorrow looked to be a busy day.

**********

The two days before the wedding flew by in a flurry. Clito and Arista had arrived and although both had been very upset to learn their children were missing, Suni had taken them aside and they had emerged quite calm. Radu was puzzled at their behaviour, but had no time to figure out what was going on. Elmira kept him much too busy. 

The night before the wedding, Radu found himself in an isolated part of the palace with Harlan and Bova while the women busied themselves with final decorations. The three men shared drinks and spoke about their youth, reminiscing about times long past. 

"So, are you nervous?" Harlan asked.

"About what?" Radu replied.

Bova rolled his eyes. "Brain surgery. The wedding, dummy."

Radu blinked. "Should I be?"

"It's common on Earth for the groom to get wedding day jitters," Harlan explained. "Tonight marks the end of your bachelor days. No more leaving whenever you want, no more adventures in space."

"No more getting your own way," Bova added.

Radu shrugged. "I've been living with Elmira for over a month, since the end of the Kaesar war. I think I know what I'm in for."

"Until the babies start coming," Bova said. "Then you have to feed them at three in the morning, change diapers, burp them, buy them things."

"But you like doing that to Suni," Radu said. "I know how you spoil her."

Bova coloured slightly. "Still, being married is not all fun and games."

"I'm not worried at all," Radu said. "It's our destiny to be together. Elmira's being telling me that since the day I met her."

"Too bad you didn't remember that twenty years ago," Harlan laughed. "Could have saved us all some trouble."

Radu reddened at the mention of his previous life. He knew somewhere deep inside himself DogStar still lived, waiting to come out again. He shuddered and stared into his glass. 

Bova said something to Harlan that Radu didn't quite hear. Next thing he knew, Harlan was apologizing for the comment.

"Don't worry about it," Radu muttered. "I just wish Atreus was here."

Harlan and Bova exchanged a look. Suni had told them about Atreus's plan and both had sworn not to tell Radu.

"I'm sure he's fine," Harlan said.

"He left over such a stupid disagreement," Radu continued, feeling the urge to talk. "I don't even remember what it was. He's the closest thing I have to a son right now. I want him here tomorrow."

As Harlan and Bova consoled their friend, Atreus was leading Amar and three other Andromedans into the guest wing of the Spung palace. None of them realized that Radu would get his wish.

**********

Suni was sound asleep when she felt someone shaking her awake. She moaned and tried to ignore it, exhausted after a long day of final preparations for the ceremony. It had concluded in a girl chat with Catalina, Suzee, Elmira, Clito, Arista, her mother, and herself staying up until the wee hours of the morning. The chat had ended only three short hours ago and Suni had no desire to wake up.

The shaking persisted, harder that before. Suni reluctantly opened her eyes in fear that she would be rattled to pieces if she didn't comply. She blinked as the person above her came into focus.

"Tethys?" Suni whispered in disbelief. 

"I have something important to tell you," Tethys said. 

Suni sat up and rubbed her eyes. "You're not a dream, are you? If you are, then I'm not amused."

"I'm real," Tethys assured her. "Atreus rescued me and he's here in the palace with the assassins. He told me to find you and tell you what they're planning."

Now fully awake, Suni listened intently as Tethys outlined the Andromedan's plans.

**********

The morning of the wedding dawned clear and bright. As the sun rose over the floating city, people in the palace had already started their work. Guests and dignitaries from all over the UPP came to wish the couple well, most also coming to see the union of two former enemies. The palace was buzzing with activity so much so, that Queen Clito of Neptune retreated to Elmira's private garden. 

Clito walked alone, except for her ever-present shadow of a bodyguard. The flowers were in bloom for the most part and the famed botanist looked at each plant with a critical eye. She made mental notes to speak with Elmira's groundskeeper before the ceremony. 

"Hello, Mother."

Clito raised her eyes from a Saturnian blue turnip bush and saw Tethys standing in front of her. The Neptunian princess curtseyed formally to her queen as Clito rushed forward to embrace her. 

"Tethys!" Clito cried, holding her daughter close. "I heard you were gone and expected the worst! How are you?"

"Fine, Mother," Tethys said honestly. "It was scary for a while, but they didn't hurt me."

"Suni assured me you were fine, but I worried anyway," Clito said with a smile, releasing Tethys and holding her at arms length. 

"Atreus saved me," the princess continued. "I had to spend two days in a smelly flask, but his plan worked. I haven't even had time to wash my hair!"

"You'll have to get ready quickly," Clito told her. "The wedding is in a few hours."

Tethys shook her head sadly. "I can't go. If any of the Andromedans see me, they'll know something is up."

Queen Clito frowned, knowing how much her daughter had been looking forward to the wedding. She snapped her fingers as inspiration struck.

"I think I can get you in, but you may not like how," Clito told her. 

**********

As the time for the ceremony drew closer, Atreus led Amar and the small group of Andromedan rebels from the guest house to the throne room. At the door, they parted company. 

"Good luck," Amar whispered, pressing a knife into Atreus's hand. "We'll deal with the Spung empress ourselves."

Atreus nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He hoped that Tethys had reached Suni and the others in time. Amar patted him on the back and entered the throne room.

Alone, Atreus walked down the familiar hall to his uncle's bedroom, gripping the knife behind his back. He knew that Radu would be there, busily getting ready for his marriage. Uncle Harlan and Uncle Bova would probably be with him, and he wondered if they knew about the plan. He hoped they did, or else it would be difficult to complete his task. 

A guard stood outside the door, a young Spung dressed in ceremonial armor holding an electric blaster. He looked at Atreus out of the corner of his eye as the young Andromedan knocked on the door and slid the knife into his boot. Harlan opened it.

"Atreus," he said, his eye widening in surprise. 

"Hello, Uncle Harlan," Atreus mumbled, trying to sound repentant. "Is Uncle Radu in there?"  
The Admiral opened the door a bit more and Atreus could see Bova seated on the bed and Radu standing in front of a mirror, looking at him. Radu was wearing a black uniform with a white shirt underneath and had a Neptunian red rose pinned to his jacket. Atreus noticed that Harlan and Bova were dressed similarly. Atreus came into the room fully and turned to his uncles.

"May I speak with Uncle Radu alone, please?" he asked.

Harlan and Bova looked to Radu, who nodded. Quietly, the other two men withdrew and closed the door firmly behind them. Radu kept staring at his nephew as if he would disappear. 

"Uncle Radu," Atreus started, "we have a lot to talk about."

Radu nodded. "I know. I don't even remember what we fought about, but it's been eating me up inside. I never wanted to chase you away."

Guilt struck Atreus as hard as a punch to the stomach and he swallowed hard. He moved to take Bova's former position on the bed, drawing the knife out of his boot as he did. Radu's eyes widened, but he made no move to run. Atreus lay the knife on the nightstand next to the bed.

"You keep getting ready," Atreus told him. "I'll explain everything. Let me just start by saying, I'm sorry."

**********

Tethys stood behind her mother, frowning. She wore a pale blue uniform of a servant, her long aquamarine hair tucked under a ridiculous feathered hat. She thought longingly of the gorgeous purple dress that was hanging unused in her room and sighed. Her mother turned and smiled.

"You wanted to see the ceremony without being seen," Clito reminded her. "They'll never recognize you dressed as a page."

"As long as you don't send me on any errands," Tethys mumbled darkly. "This is so embarrassing!"

Suni appeared beside her friend and flicked the feather in her hat. "Nice touch," she commented.

Tethys scowled at her and Clito laughed. Suni was dressed in a similar purple gown to the one Tethys should have worn. They were both supposed to be part of the wedding party, but Arista had taken over Tethys's roll after her disappearance. 

"I hate this," Tethys grumbled.

"You're the one who went walking in the garden all alone without telling anyone," Suni reminded her brightly. "This could have all been avoided."

Tethys stuck out her tongue at her friend. Clito frowned at her daughter and the princess lowered her eyes, looking ashamed. Suni laughed patted her friend reassuringly on the back before leaving to join the wedding party.

Tethys allowed her eyes to wander over the faces in the crowd until a pair of familiar green eyes struck her speechless. He was the Andromedan who had kidnapped her, and it looked like he wasn't alone. Glancing up at the ceiling, Tethys hoped that the makeshift trap she and Suni had devised last night would be enough to stop them. She patted her pocket reassuringly and took a deep breath as the music began.

**********

Atreus joined Amar and the others as Elmira began her walk down the aisle. He pressed the bloody knife into Amar's hand silently and turned to watch the procession. Amar grinned at him and nodded to one of his partners. A blond Andromedan put a poisoned dart into its launcher and raised it to his lips. As Elmira stepped closer, the assassin took a deep breath and prepared to let lose the dart. 

"Murder!" Suni yelled, as if on cue. "Assassins in the palace!"

A wall of armored Spung guards surrounded Elmira and hurried her out of the throne room. The rest of the crowd began to disperse as well, leaving the confused Andromedans in the centre of things.

"Sorry, Atreus," Atreus heard someone whisper.

He looked just as puzzled as the rebels as the doors were sealed and a faint, yellow mist fell from the ceiling. Atreus looked over to the door in time to see Tethys dressed as a page tucking a control device into her pocket and slipping out the door in her liquid form.

"We've been discovered!" Amar coughed. "Retreat!"

The Andromedans dragged themselves weakly to the door and tried to use their strength to pound it open. To their surprise, they found themselves growing weaker by the moment. Atreus collapsed to his knees, coughing as the yellow mist got into his lungs.

"Yilith pollen," one of the assassins gasped.

That was the last thing Atreus remembered as he sunk into unconsciousness.

**********

"You used to much!"

"Did not! I used exactly the right amount."

"They why is he still asleep?"

Atreus moaned as the voices he thought were in his head separated into distinct sounds. Everything was still dark and Atreus wondered if the yilith pollen had done something to his eyes. Belatedly, he realized they were still closed. With supreme effort, he cracked open his eyes to see Suni and Tethys arguing over him.

"The others woke up already," Suni said.

"Maybe Atreus inhaled too much," Tethys mused.

"We should have warned him," Suni said.

Another face popped into view, that of an older Mercurian woman. She smiled brightly at him.

"Girls," Rosie said. "He's awake."

Atreus struggled into a sitting position, still feeling weak. He was in Radu and Elmira's room, lying in their bed while his friends and relatives gathered around him. Radu sat next to him, one arm bandaged from where they had drawn blood to fool the rebels. Suni, Tethys, and Rosie stood around him, with his mother near the foot of the bed. Catalina and Suzee were by the door, Bova sat at the desk, Elmira was next to Radu, and Clito was by the window.

"That was a very foolish idea," Arista scolded Suni and Tethys. "Clever, but foolish. Neither of you knew how dangerous prolonged exposure to the yilith plant can be to Andromedans."

"He's fine," Suni said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Speaking of foolish," Radu spoke up, "the plan in general wasn't the smartest thing to do."

Atreus felt himself blush. "It was the only way to catch them red handed," he protested.

Radu smiled at him. "I know, but we could have figured something out together. You worried me sick!"

"What about the rebels?" Atreus asked.

"They're alive and in the dungeons," Elmira replied. "I never thought I'd have to send someone there during my reign."

"I'm bringing them back to New Andromeda for trial," Arista added. "I want to know more about this 'master' of theirs."

"He's not Andromedan," Atreus coughed and leaned back on his pillows. Rosie gave him a glass of water and he drank. "I met him. He's definitely not Andromedan."

"Interesting," Harlan said. "So who is he?"

Atreus shook his head. "He was in shadow the whole time. I can bring you to their moon base, but I doubt he'll still be there."

"I'll send some troops right away," Elmira said. "In the meantime, we have a wedding ceremony to finish."

**********

The Spung-Andromedan wedding lasted for several hours. Tethys, Suni, Catalina, and Suzee stood as the bridesmaids while Bova, Harlan, Atreus, and a Spung cousin of Elmira's stood as ushers. The ceremony was long and complex, but ended with a kiss and loud applause. Immediately after the wedding, still dressed in her bridal gown, Elmira crowned Radu as Spung Warlord. 

The reception lasted well into the night. Everyone sang and danced, enjoying their time free of responsibilities. Elmira and Radu were the centre of attention, congratulated by everyone yet alone in each others eyes. 

In the small hours of the morning, the newlyweds at last made it to bed. Radu easily carried Elmira over the threshold, Harlan having insisted he do it as an old Earth tradition. Finally alone, they savored the moment and thought happily to the rest of their lives together. 


	2. Trip Through Time

TRIP THROUGH TIME

TRIP THROUGH TIME

Suni Ianni growled in frustration and threw her welding torch across the docking bay. On the other side of the ship, Atreus ducked as the torch nearly hit him in the head. As he straightened, he glared at his pink skinned friend and she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry," Suni apologized. 

Atreus sighed. Basic shuttle repair was a course that all potential StarDogs had to take to graduate, but mechanics just wasn't Suni's thing. Atreus had been patiently trying to teach her how to repair a broken repulsor lift, a must know for their upcoming exam. 

"Try it again," Atreus said, tossing back the torch. "You almost had it."

"I hate this," Suni frowned. "I'm not even going to be in space! I'm going to be an ambassador, like Aunt Catalina."

"Even Catalina knows her way around an engine," Atreus reminded his friend. He ducked again as the torch came sailing through the air.

"Watch it!" Atreus cried as he retrieved the instrument.

"That was for your big mouth," Suni said.

"I don't have to help you, you know," Atreus reminded her, rising to his feet as if to leave.

"Okay, okay," Suni said quickly. "I'm sorry again. Could you please show me this one more time?"

Atreus came around and knelt next to his friend. "You'd think with your electrical powers you'd be better at this."

"Like mother, like daughter," Suni said with a laugh. "I think my mom failed this course too."

"That doesn't inspire much confidence in me," Atreus said with mock seriousness. 

Suni hit him playfully, knowing that it wouldn't hurt the Andromedan. Atreus rubbed his shoulder, pretending to be in pain and Suni laughed.

"This is the last time I show you this before you're declared officially hopeless," Atreus told her.

"Just shut up and help me," Suni replied.

**********

Catalina, UPP Ambassador for the dimension of Yensid, sat in the garden outside her small house. She was enjoying a well earned day off after weeks of trade disputes. The wedding between Elmira and Radu had been over for nearly a month and for the week she had been on the Spung Homeworld, her work had piled up on Yensid. 

Suzee had hung around for a few days before disappearing with her portal device. One of the most important discoveries Suzee had made was that her link with Catalina would be weaker or stronger depending on the dimension. Some times, it was like Suzee sat right next to Cat, but other times Cat didn't see her friend for weeks. The loss of the link used to worry Catalina, but she had become used to it, although when Suzee didn't contact her for several days, the old worries would return. She had lost the link with her friend the previous night after Suzee had reported finding a strange dimension inhabited by what she called 'butterfly people'. Catalina shook her head in memory and chuckled to herself. 

The Saturnian ambassador was about to get up to get another drink, when Suzee appeared before her. Cat gasped in surprise and sat back down, one hand pressed to her chest.

"Grozit, Suzee," Catalina said. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Suzee smiled. "Sorry about that. You know how it is. Guess where I am now?"

"A dimension that lets our brain waves interact?" Cat guessed.

Suzee frowned. "Obviously. Remember those butterfly people I spoke about yesterday? Well, I switched dimensions last night and lost contact with you. Then I saw another butterfly person! In the new dimension! Apparently, they can go back and forth without using a portal device! Isn't that amazing?"

"So you followed one back to tell me?" Cat said.

Suzee nodded. "That, and I misplaced Yensid's coordinates again. The memory part of the device was a little. . . broken for a while. I think I fixed it."

Catalina rolled her eyes and sighed. "Suzee, you should have them memorized. What happens if you get stuck in a dimension and can't contact me?"

"I'd go find Clito," Suzee teased. "Come on, Cat. Give them to me."

Catalina spouted off the series of numbers from memory as Suzee programmed them into her device. She smiled triumphantly as the last number was inputted.

"I'll be back in Yensid in time for dinner," Suzee promised as she tweaked with the portal. "Keep it warm for me."

"It'll be ready in ten minutes," Catalina warned. "Will you be able to find Yensid before then?"

"The portal should be opening in front of you now," Suzee reported, ignoring Cat's comment.

Sure enough, Catalina looked away from Suzee and saw the familiar pinkish oval of the dimensional portal. It swirled around in mid air, a rip through planes of existence. Catalina never did understand how millions of dimensions could exist, no matter how many times Suzee or Bova explained it to her. She stepped back and waited for her friend to come through.

Suzee's head appeared, smiling and looking around Catalina's garden. Next came a booted foot, but as soon as it touched the ground, Suzee's expression turned to surprise.

"What's wrong?" Catalina asked.

"I'm stuck," Suzee replied. "Hang on a minute."

The device appeared through the portal in Suzee's hand and she began to push buttons. The portal shifted colours from pink to gray to blue, and began to close with Suzee still half inside, half out.

"Suzee!" Catalina gasped.

"I'm being pulled back, Cat!" Suzee exclaimed.

Before either woman could say another word, Suzee was tugged back through the portal and it closed firmly behind her. In her shock, Suzee had dropped her portal device and it lay on the ground at Catalina's feet. The ambassador picked it up with shaky hands, knowing well that without it, Suzee could never return home.

**********

Suni, Tethys, and Atreus sat under the tree in the biosphere. The climate of the 'sphere emulated a brisk autumn day, and everyone who walked through it had a long sleeved shirt on. Cadets were all over the park studying for their exams, which would be taking place next week. 

"I give up!" Suni moaned, throwing her compupad away. "I hate shuttle repair!"

Atreus retrieved the pad and held it out to his friend. "You should try out for the Starcademy softball league. You've got a great arm."

Suni snatched back her compupad and glared at her friend. Tethys lifted her eyes from her own pad and smiled reassuringly.

"You'll be fine, Suni," the princess said. "Don't worry about it so much."

"Easy for you to say," Suni snapped. "You have spatial botany. You practically teach that course!"

"Calm down," Atreus said. "Remember what we went over in the shuttle bay. You did repair the lift, you know."

"Yeah," Suni grumbled.

"So, no problems. I'll go over it with you again tonight if you want, after dinner," the Andromedan said.

Suni perked up. "Would you? Oh, thanks Atreus! You're the bestest friend ever!"

"Humph!" Tethys said. "What am I? Cold fish?"

Suni laughed. "Of course not, Tethys. You the bestest friend ever, too."

The trio laughed and went back to studying when Suni's compupad began to beep. Atreus and Tethys looked up, annoyed at the sudden disturbance while Suni checked her most recent message.

"Uh oh," Suni mumbled. "It's from Aunt Catalina in Yensid."

"What's wrong?" Tethys asked.

"Aunt Suzee disappeared," Suni replied.

"What else is new?" Atreus laughed.

Suni lowered the compupad to meet her friends in the eyes. "It's worse this time. Her portal device is still in Yensid."

**********

Tethys hated portal transport. She shut her eyes tight and squeezed the handle of her small bag. As Atreus disappeared through the pink portal in front of her, Tethys took a deep breath - hoped it wasn't her last - and followed. 

The sensation of passing through dimensions made her skin crawl. It was almost as if she was being torn into pieces and scattered throughout the cosmos. She clenched her teeth and tried not to cry aloud when suddenly she was through.

Tethys and her friends had visited Yensid numerous times, usually over spring and summer holidays. The last time the trio had come was for Catalina's surprise birthday and that had been years ago. Suni had come herself right before the Kaesar war, but Tethys had been away at the Neptunian court and Atreus had stayed at Starcademy. The princess risked opening her eyes and was greeted by the familiar landscape of Catalina's backyard garden.

"Great, you're here," a voice said from the house.

The three cadets turned to see Catalina standing in the doorway. She wore hear hair long now, its multicoloured shades framing her face and trailing down her back. She wore a simple orange dress with a light blue shawl and smiled. 

"Hi, Auntie!" Suni exclaimed, running forward.

Tethys smiled. Suni's enthusiasm was always infectious, one of the reasons she liked the Mercurian/Uranusian so much. 

Catalina enveloped her 'niece' in a hug and motioned for the other two to join the embrace. Tethys came forward in a graceful motion while Atreus seemed ill at ease with all the affection.

"How are things with all of you?" Catalina asked.

"Terrific," Suni answered. "You got us out of exams!"

Catalina frowned. "You realize you'll have to make them up when you get back."

"Yeah," Suni said glumly, "but until then we're at your disposal."

"What happened?" Atreus asked, cutting through the small talk.

Quickly, Catalina told them everything that had happened two days ago. The portal device lay on her outside table, untouched since that day. The three cadets listened carefully and without interruption until the Saturnian ambassador was done. 

"So, all we have to do is use the device and go get Aunt Suzee," Suni summarized. "Sounds easy enough."

"Except I don't know where she is," Catalina sighed. 

Atreus picked up the device and turned it over in his hands. "I studied Suzee's basic design in school. I think I can make this work."

"Good," Suni said. "Let's get going!"  
The impetuous girl made a move to Atreus to take the portal device from him. The Andromedan held it over his head, making it impossible for Suni to reach. 

"Why don't we rest, have something to eat, get supplies, first?" Atreus recommended.

Suni lowered herself from her tiptoes and nodded. Tethys rolled her eyes at her friend while Catalina lead them inside.

"Why are we always suckered into these adventures?" Tethys whispered to Atreus as the walked inside.

The Andromedan shrugged. "Think of it as adding spice to your life."

Tethys sighed. "Too much spice spoils the soup, you know."

Atreus grinned and playfully pushed his friend into the house.

**********

The next morning, Suni and her friends stood outside Catalina's house. Atreus had been working all night to fix the device, using Suzee's notes and Catalina's memory. He now held the portal device in one hand and a compupad in the other. Suni and Tethys were loaded down with supplies, and Catalina stood nervously in front of them.

"The coordinates back to Yensid are on the compupad," Catalina told them. "In case of an emergency, Earth's coordinates are there too. You can just make your way to StarDog headquarters and speak to Harlan."

"We _know_, Aunt Catalina," Suni said. "You told us this a million times."

"You have your communicators? Breathing masks? Medkits?" Catalina asked.

"Yes, Aunt Catalina," the trio said in unison.

Catalina forced a smile. "Be careful. I hate sending you into the unknown, but if something is wrong I know you three will be the only ones Suzee trusts. If I can contact her again, I'll let her know you're coming for her."

"We're all set," Suni said. "Let's go!"

Atreus entered the last coordinates of Suzee into the portal device and aimed it away from the house. A bluish portal appeared, hovering in mid air. Suni waved once to Catalina and dove through. 

"I hate traveling by portal," Tethys muttered as she followed her friend in.

Atreus nodded to Catalina and followed his friends. The portal closed behind him, leaving Catalina standing alone in her garden.

"Good luck," the Saturnian whispered.

**********

The portal spat them out and disappeared in a blinding flash. They landed in an ungraceful heap, Suni on the bottom with her friends piled on top. As Atreus landed on a protesting Tethys, the portal device flew from his hands and soared through the air. The Andromedan watched in dismay as it slammed into a nearby tree, sparks flying from the circuitry.

Atreus scrambled to his feet, stepping on one of his friends who squeaked a protest. He ran to the device and gently picked it up. It sparked angrily at him and he held it at arms length.

"That doesn't look very good," Suni said as she helped Tethys to her feet.

"I know," Tethys mumbled, fixing her clothes. "I must look a fright!"

"Not you," Suni snapped. "The portal device!"

The Neptunian raised her eyes and gasped, one hand rising to daintily cover her mouth. Atreus smiled grimly as he set the device down.

"Now what?" Tethys asked. "Can you fix it?"

"Probably not," Atreus replied, "but Suzee can."

"We know these were her last coordinates," Suni said. "Now all we have to do is find her."

Tethys and Atreus exchanged glances. The trio stood deep in a forest of massive trees and vines. Tethys shivered as a strange animal howled, and moved closer to Atreus. Suni took a few steps away from her friends and turned, still walking backwards.

"Come on, guys," she called. "We'll never find - "

Her words broke off abruptly as Suni disappeared from view. Atreus lunged forward and grabbed his friend's shoulder before she completely vanished in the muck.

"Quicksand!" Tethys gasped. "Ugh!"

From out of the quicksand, an eyeball emerged. It blinked a few times then looked from Suni to her friends. 

"Hang on," Atreus grunted, pulling Suni.

The Mercurian/Uranusian rose a few inches before halting. Atreus pulled harder, but Suni gasped in pain. The Andromedan eased off.

"Something's got my leg," Suni cried. "I'll zap it!"

"Wait!" Atreus exclaimed. "If you zap it, you'll get me too!"

Suni sank further and Atreus fell to his knees to keep his grip on her. Tethys stood nervously to the side, eyes darting from the creature to her friends. Suddenly, she saw movement from the corner of her eye. A few forms drifted just behind the quicksand pit and they seemed to be getting closer.

"Guys," Tethys whispered.

Atreus raised his head. Suni, already neck deep in the quicksand, looked up at her friend. Atreus's arms were elbow deep, his hands still locked on Suni's shoulders.

"What is it?" Suni asked.

"Hang on!" a strange - yet familiar - voice rang out.

Two people, roughly the same age as Suni and her friends, slid down an embankment and landed on the other side of the quicksand pit. They were both humanoid, although Atreus found it difficult to see their faces. The dark skinned one pointed to a vine and the one with long blonde hair began throwing fruits into the quicksand. The eye of the creature spun around to look at the newcomers.

"It's letting go!" Suni exclaimed.

The long haired rescuer abandoned his fruit throwing and jogged around the quicksand to help lift Suni out. Atreus beat him to it, effortlessly freeing his friend from the sand. The long haired humanoid stopped short to stare at Atreus, and for the first time the Andromedan saw his face.

"I don't believe it," the blond gasped. "A-Another Andromedan?"

The dark skinned human joined the others and stuck out his hand to Suni.

"The name's Harlan - Harlan Band," he said with a grin. "Nice to meet you."

**********

Harlan led the way through the jungle, with Suni behind him followed by Tethys, Atreus, and Radu. Atreus felt the other Andromedan's eyes boring a hole into his back, but he did not speak. The strange convoy moved in silence for several minutes.

"How did you find us?" Tethys asked finally.

Harlan flashed her a grin over his shoulder. "Radu heard you with those big ears of his."

Atreus glanced behind and saw Radu blush and lower his head. "We followed the sound just in time to save you," Harlan finished.

Atreus barely heard Harlan's last comment. Why did Radu let himself be treated like that? His uncle back home would never permit it.

"How far to your ship?" Atreus asked Radu.

Surprised at being spoken to, Radu lifted his head. "N-Not long now," he stammered. "Just o-over that hill."

Harlan sprinted the last few paces to the top, eager to show off their ship. He gestured through the vines and the new visitors peered through. Spread out in front of them lay the Christa.

**********

"Mr. Band," Commander Goddard said gruffly, "report."

Atreus and Suni stared in awe at the man who had been like a father to their parents. Tethys had heard of him through her mother, who had met him briefly, and in her 'StarDog Heroes' class at the academy. Commander Goddard tried to avoid their uncomfortable stares as he faced his crew.

"They were lost," Harlan shrugged. "I rescued them."

Goddard raised and eyebrow and Harlan scuffed the ground with his boot, eyes downcast.

"Okay. _We_ rescued them. Radu helped. A bit."

"Where did they come from?" Goddard demanded. "Three Starcademy students don't just drop out of the sky."

"We did," Radu muttered low enough for only Atreus to hear.

"You can ask us, sir," Suni spoke up.

Goddard turned and smiled in embarrassment. They stood outside the Christa, the Commander unwilling to allow any strangers into the ship without an explanation.

"All right," Goddard said. "Who are you and where did you come from?"

"We're from - " Suni began.

"An escape pod," Atreus interrupted. "Our ship was attacked by space pirates and we evacuated. Our pod crashed here."

Suni glared at her friend for interrupting, but a sharp look from Tethys told her to stay quiet. 

"That's right," Suni agreed, and Tethys nodded.

"We didn't see an escape pod," Harlan said suspiciously.

"It landed in a lake," Tethys said. "We've been wandering for days."

Goddard looked at them dubiously for a few moments, one eyebrow raised. Harlan and Radu stood behind him, arms crossed over their chests.

"My name is Suni," the pink girl said, trying to ease the tension. "These are my friends Atreus and Tethys."

"Commander Seth Goddard," the older man said gruffly.

"What's that?" Harlan asked, pointing to the device in Atreus's hands.

"This?" Atreus repeated. He had picked up the portal device before they had left for the ship. Apparently, Harlan had been too caught up in his hero roll to notice it before.

"It's our log," Suni replied quickly. "You know, reports and stuff from our ship before it crashed."

Commander Goddard nodded slightly. Behind him, the door to the Christa opened and a tall woman with short reddish hair came out. She was flanked on either side by two more members of the Christa's crew.

"Commander," the woman began, "Thelma was saying something about new people out here. Do you know - oh," she broke off, seeing Suni and the others for the first time. "Hello. My name is Ms Davenport."

"Who is it?" an enthusiastic girl asked, poking her pink head out from behind her teacher.

"Probably no one who can help us," a more pessimistic male voice added from the other side.

Suni stared dumbstruck at the younger versions of her parents. Rosie and Bova stepped into full view, the Mercurian introducing herself happily and the Uranusian frowning next to Ms Davenport.

"Weird," Tethys whispered.

Suni nodded and sneezed. She was still coated in sand and the sun had started to set, cooling off the strange jungle planet.

"Oh my," Ms Davenport gasped. "Commander, how dare you leave these poor children standing out here in the dark. Come on, now. Follow me. We'll get you cleaned up and fed."

Despite Goddard's objections, Ms Davenport brought Suni, Atreus, and Tethys into the legendary Christa.

**********

"It makes no sense, TJ," Commander Goddard said. "What are they doing here?"

"They're obviously lost," Ms Davenport replied. "Like us."

Seth sat down. The two adults of the Christa were alone in the mess hall after their students had unanimously decided to give their guests the grand tour. TJ sat beside him and patted his knee reassuringly.

"A Mercurian, an Andromedan, and a Neptunian coincidentally end up on the other side of the galaxy and happen to crash on the same planet as us?" Goddard said.

"We've seen others from home," TJ reminded him. "The Spung, for instance."

Goddard made a distasteful face. "The Spung are everywhere, like a disease."

TJ rose to her feet. "Well, we're not going anywhere and neither are they. We might as well make the best of it."

Goddard nodded and TJ smiled. The Commander, however, told himself not to let his guard down. Something fishy was going on; he could practically smell it.

**********

Suzee sat in the team room, staring at the so-called log the three strangers had brought. The new Mercurian girl had left it there when Rosie had whisked her away to the girls' bunk room. The Andromedan was off with Radu somewhere and she had no idea where the Neptunian had gone.

There was something odd about the log. As far as Suzee's trained eye could see, there was no recording mechanisms on it anywhere, except one that would record numerical data. The design of it looked almost Yensidian, but that was impossible. No one from this dimension had ever come to hers. Except Cat.

Suzee sat back and sighed. A puzzle, right there in front of her and she didn't dare touch it. She wondered what Cat would do if she were here. The Yensidian girl hated the fact that this planet disrupted their link, making it impossible for Suzee to check on her friend. She also felt that the others resented her, compared her to Cat, and that they liked Cat better. Sure, the joked and laughed with her while she was around, but she knew that they were wary of her. 

Suzee reached out and picked up the device, looking from the door to the jumptubes to make sure she wouldn't be interrupted. Definitely not a recording device, she thought. A weapon, maybe? Why would these three people conveniently appear with their 'log' and come straight to the Christa? The Neptunian had said they were walking for days. Were they looking for the Christa in particular?

The door slid open and Suzee guiltily returned the device to the table. The Neptunian walked in, her head held high and her movements fluid. She glided over to the circular couch where Suzee sat and picked up the device.

"There it is," she remarked. "Suni should be more careful where she leaves this."

Without waiting to be invited, she sat down. Suzee watched her without saying a word. The Neptunian looked around, then leaned forward to speak quietly.

"Are you really Suzee?" she whispered.

Suzee blinked. "Yes."

"But you've never been to Starcademy, right?"

"Nope," Suzee replied. What was this girl talking about.

Tethys sighed and leaned back, cradling the device as if it were a child. "Nevermind, then. How did you end up here? In this dimension, I mean."

"There was an explosion," Suzee replied. "It caused a rip in the dimensional fabric and I pulled Catalina through to safety. At the same time, I ended up here."

Tethys nodded. "So, Catalina is now in Yensid?"  
"Yeah," Suzee said slowly. How did she know about Cat and Yensid? Were the others talking about her behind her back.

Tethys stood up smoothly and smiled at Suzee. "Thanks for watching the log for me," she said. 

The Neptunian left the room, leaving Suzee to ponder what had been said.

**********

Atreus stood with Radu and Harlan in the command post as Harlan explained to him the workings of the Christa. Radu was silent, standing behind his friend at the navigation console while Harlan told Atreus about their adventures thus far. 

"You should have seen Ms D," Harlan laughed, "standing in the corner, howling at every wall. Just because she thought she would become a ghost!"  
"Those were the predictions Aun - uh, Elmira gave you?" Atreus asked. "And they came true?"

"All except Radu's," Harlan replied, gesturing over his shoulder.

"Fire and darkness you will tame. Hero added to your name," Radu murmured under his breath. "Noble Radu, worthy and brave. Those who scorn you, you will save."

Atreus listened with interest. Could Elmira's predictions have come true in his time? Radu had been a hero after the second Andromedan war, and he certainly tamed his own fire and darkness as the pirate DogStar. Would he save the Spung as their Warlord?

The door slid open and Tethys walked into the command post, followed by Thelma. The Neptunian held their device under one arm.

"Ms Davenport would like me to inform you that it is late and lights out will be in fifteen minutes," Thelma announced. 

Harlan groaned, but stifled a yawn in the same breath.

"Thank you, Thelma," Radu replied. 

Tethys headed straight for Atreus. "Suzee was looking at this," she whispered to him. "Do you think we should - "

"Shh!" Atreus cut her off, glancing up at Radu. "We'll talk while they're asleep."

As Atreus and Tethys left the command post, Radu watched, curious about what he had overheard.

**********

Suni, Tethys, and Atreus met outside the Christa and wandered deep into the jungle until Atreus was certain Radu could not hear them. It was dark in the jungle, shadows casting strange images that reminded them of fierce animals. Suni was happier than usual after spending the entire evening with her two younger parents. She skipped along the dark path, waving her flashlight around like a firefly.

Finally, the trio halted. Tethys and Suni sat down on a fallen log while Atreus paced back and forth. Suni directed her flashlight on his face, light a spotlight,

"What do we do?" Tethys gasped, breaking the silence. "We're seriously messing up time!"

"I know," Atreus answered, "but our Suzee must be around here somewhere. We have to find her."

"We can't just wander around out here," Tethys objected. "Remember the stories Radu told us about their time on this planet? Spung and space pirate? Tangle trees? The Hil people?"

"Not to mention quicksand monsters," Suni added dryly.

As if to emphasize the point, a growling sound filled the night air. Suni whipped her flashlight around and Tethys shivered.

Atreus sighed and sat next to his friends. "I can try to fix the device, but it won't be easy without Suzee's help."

"So why don't we ask Suzee?" Suni suggested. "If we tell her the truth, she can help us."

"But we can't," Tethys stressed. "The Suzee from our time will still be lost, and the past Suzee will know the future. We can't tell them anything!"

Atreus sighed. "I wish I could warn Radu about becoming DogStar. He and Elmira could make up for so much lost time."

"No screwing around with time," Tethys said firmly.

"Then we have no choice," Atreus said. "We'll have to explore on our own."

"We'll head back to where the device dropped us off," Suni decided. "If we start from there, maybe we'll run into our Suzee."

The other two nodded in agreement and they headed back for the ship. From the bushes nearby, a shadowy figure followed them.

**********

The next morning, the trio headed out before the crew of the Christa awoke. They snuck through the perimeter fence and into the still dark jungle. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, casting a warm glow through the trees as Atreus led his friends to the clearing where they had arrived. 

"You're sure you can find your way back?" Suni asked.

Atreus rolled his eyes. "Andromedans can't get lost, unlike some Mercurian/Uranusians I know."

Suni ignored the insult and paced around the clearing, searching for signs of another humanoid. Atreus listened for Suzee, but could not distinguish her from the rest of the creatures in the jungle. Tethys tried to help Suni as much as possible without dirtying herself. 

"No traces," Suni said finally. "If Suzee was here, it was a long time ago."

"No kidding," Tethys muttered.

"Quiet," Atreus hissed. The girls fell silent as the Andromedan cocked his head to listen. "I hear something coming, but its from the wrong direction."

"Oh no," Suni moaned as the trees parted and Radu broke through. 

The blond Andromedan stared at them for a moment, nervously licking his lips. Suni couldn't help but notice how handsome he was in his youth, before the scar destroyed his features. He took a few steps forward.

"Okay," Radu said. "I want to know what's going on."

"Just out for a stroll," Tethys replied.

Radu shook his head. "I-I don't believe that. Something is going on. I-I heard you last night, followed you from the Christa into the jungle."

"So now you've taken to spying?" Suni asked angrily.

Radu reddened in embarrassment. "It's for our own good," he explained. "If you're endangering the Christa - "

Atreus laughed in spite of himself. Radu whirled around to stare at the other Andromedan, his confusion all too evident on his face.

"We have to tell him, guys," Suni said. "He already knows most of it."

Tethys frowned. "It could destroy our world if we do, Suni."

"Tell me what?" Radu demanded. "Why where you talking about Suzee last night?"

"He won't believe us," Suni said in a singsong voice.

Atreus put a comforting hand on his uncle's shoulder. "We're from the future," he said. 

Radu blinked. "The future?"

"Not that far," Tethys said quickly. "About thirty or forty years."

"How did you get here?" Radu asked.

"We're looking for someone," Suni explained. She pointed to the portal device Atreus held. "That device lets us travel between dimensions. It malfunctioned on our last trip and left us here."

Radu licked his lips as he looked from one to another. "I have to tell the Commander!"

"No!" Tethys exclaimed. "You can't tell anyone! We've already disturbed the future timeline by telling you. Who knows what could happen if the others knew?"

"Let me get this straight," Radu said. "You're from the future and you used a dimensional portal device to find someone, but ended up in the past?"

The three friends nodded. Radu shook his head in disbelief.

"Told you he wouldn't believe us," Suni whispered.

Tethys hushed her and turned back to Radu. The blond Andromedan was staring at them in confusion, trying to make heads or tails of what he had been told.

"Who are you looking for?" Radu asked.

Suni looked at Tethys. The Neptunian shrugged and Suni took a deep breath.

"We're looking for Suzee," Suni said.

"She's on board the Christa," Radu replied, pointing behind him. "You already found her."

"Not that Suzee," Atreus said gently. "The Suzee from our time. She invented this device and is trapped here."

"A future Suzee?" Radu gasped. He sat down on a tree stump and shook his head. "This is too much."

"That's why we didn't want to tell you," Tethys explained, crouching next to him and rubbing his back. 

"And you shouldn't have," a new voice said angrily.

The four cadets looked up and saw an older woman step into the clearing. She had shoulder length brown hair, streaked with colours, and wore a blue jumpsuit. 

"Aunt Suzee!" Suni exclaimed, rushing over.

"Suzee?" Radu croaked.

**********

Commander Goddard paced furiously across the command post. In front of him was his crew, except Radu. No one had seen the Andromedan or the three strangers at all that day, and as the sun reached its apex, Goddard began to grow worried.

"Thelma!" Goddard cried.

"Yes, Commander?" the android replied, appearing right behind him.

Goddard jumped and clenched one hand to his chest. He exhaled slowly and turned to face the android.

"Where is Radu?" he asked.

Thelma thought for a moment. "Radu is not on the Christa."

"I know that," Goddard said.

"Then why did you ask?" Thelma inquired.

From the sidelines, Rosie giggled. Ms Davenport hushed her and Suzee rolled her eyes. 

"I didn't ask if Radu was on the Christa," Goddard said slowly, "I asked where he is."

Thelma smiled at the commander. "He left early this morning, right after Atreus, Suni, and Tethys left."

"I knew they were up to something!" Suzee exclaimed. "That communications log of theirs looked more like a weapon than a log."

"A weapon?" Rosie squeaked. "I don't think Suni would do that!"  
"A weapon?" the Commander repeated, whirling to face Suzee. "Why didn't you report this earlier?"

Suzee shrugged. "I have no evidence. I just said it doesn't look like a communications log."

"Let's move team!" Goddard snapped. "Radu may be in danger. We have to find him and the other three before something happens."

In a matter of minutes, Goddard was leading his crew through the jungle to rescue Radu.

**********

The elder Suzee hugged her niece tightly. As Tethys and Atreus greeted her, Radu sat dumbstruck on the tree stump. He stared at his grown up friend with his mouth open, shaking his head slightly in disbelief.

"Oh dear," Suzee sighed. "This is a mess."

"What happened?" Suni asked. "How did you get here?"

Suzee shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. It'll be something to puzzle out once we get back to our time. All I know is that I was trying to get into Yensid when I got stuck through the portal. It was like it solidified with me half way through. Anyway, I tried to compensate, but something pulled me back. I dropped the device, the portal disappeared, and I ended up here.

"At first, I thought I was just back on the crash planet. We lived here for months when I was younger, so I followed my memory back to where our campsite used to be. When I saw the Christa still there, I hid. It didn't take me too long to see I was reliving my past."

"Months?" Radu gasped. "B-But we just landed here a few weeks ago. We're going to be stuck here for _months_?"

Suzee frowned at Radu. "You're not supposed to be here, Radu. In fact, you weren't supposed to save Suni from the quicksand either. I was on my way when you and Harlan arrived. I was too late to stop our timelines from crossing."

Radu shook his head. He opened his mouth to ask another question when Atreus held up a warning hand. The group fell silent.

"Here comes the calvary," the Andromedan sighed.

Before anyone could move, Commander Goddard and the rest of the Christa's crew plowed their way through the underbrush and into the clearing. The Commander looked from Radu, to Atreus, to the elder Suzee.

"What is going on?" he demanded.

The elder Suzee's eyes flooded with grief as she saw her commander standing before her again. She remembered the funeral all too well, as if it had been yesterday and not seven years ago. 

"Who are you?" Goddard asked. 

The elder Suzee's gaze shifted from her commander to the younger version of herself. She remembered those days well, how arrogant and cocky she had been, thinking she could change the world with her brains. The younger Suzee stepped forward.

"You're Yensidian, aren't you?" she asked.

The older Suzee nodded. 

"Something terrible has happened," the elder Suzee explained. "Myself, Suni, Atreus, and Tethys are not supposed to be here. You are not supposed to be aware of us at all. We are from a different time."

"A different time?" Goddard repeated incredulously.

From the tree stump, Radu nodded mutely. Ms Davenport stood behind her students, looking about ready to faint. The elder Suzee's heart wrenched again at the sight of her teacher, the woman she had hated while aboard the Christa, but had come to appreciate as she grew older. 

"Atreus, Suni, and Tethys were sent to this time from the future to find me," Suzee continued. "I was about to rescue Suni from the quicksand when Harlan and Radu burst in and inadvertently altered the timeline."

"Way to screw up time, Harlan," younger Suzee teased.

Harlan blushed but stayed quiet. Goddard took a hesitant step forward.

"Prove that you're from the future," he dared.

Suzee smiled with tight lips. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I know you, Commander Seth Goddard. I know all of you intimately. Especially you, Suzee."

The younger Suzee shook her head in disbelief as realization dawned on her. The older Suzee nodded.

"Yes, I am you, Suzee," she said. "In about thirty years, you will be me."

**********

Atreus, Suni, and Tethys sat outside the Christa, waiting for Suzee to return. It had taken her several more minutes to prove that they were from the future, but at last Goddard had grudgingly agreed. He had also agreed, at Ms Davenport's insistence, that something had to be done to protect the timeline. At the elder Suzee's suggestion, the entire crew of the Christa would be brought back to the ship and Suzee would search their minds individually to erase their knowledge of the futuristic visitors. 

The trio of friends sat outside in case a member of the Christa's crew should appear and see them again. Suzee had assured them that it would be painless and that all they would do is fall into a deep sleep, waking up none the wiser. In the meantime, Atreus repaired the device as per Suzee's instructions, inputting Yensid's coordinates and saving them.

Finally, the elder Suzee came out of the Christa, looking tired. She was physically and emotionally drained after visiting the place of her youth. Seeing her friends - and herself - young and full of adventure made her crave for the old days, but she knew nothing could bring them back. 

"Ready to go?" Suzee asked.

The trio nodded and Suzee took the device from Atreus. She activated it, and a bluish portal appeared. One by one, they stepped through to the Yensid of their time.

Suzee took a last, lingering look back at the Christa. She sighed wistfully and went through the portal. When she was through, it flashed once before disappearing, leaving the Christa alone again on the desolate planet.

**********

The portal deposited them somewhat more gracefully in Catalina's garden in Yensid. Suzee took a deep breath and smiled, happy to be home at last. 

From inside the house, Catalina came running out, enveloping her friend in a huge hug. She then did the same to her nieces and nephew.

"Don't ever do that again!" Cat scolded Suzee.

"How long were we gone, Aunt Catalina?" Tethys asked.

"About three days," Cat replied. "You missed your shuttle repair exam, Suni. I told your professor you would make it up as soon as you got back."

Suni made a face. "Can I stay here a few more days?"

Catalina laughed. "Not a chance. Fixing a shuttle is easier than it sounds, dear. Let me give you a few pointers."

Suzee watched from a distance as Catalina lead the three youngsters into the house. Her memory of meeting her elder self had disappeared, although she did remember meeting her younger self. Another puzzle to sort out, and by the looks of the portal device, she would have a lot of time to think about it.


	3. Nothing To Guard

NOTHING TO GUARD 

NOTHING TO GUARD

In the deepest reaches of space, far from any inhabited planet or moon, a secret council was being held. For the first time in several decades, the solitary creatures were being called for assembly to decide the fate of their race. 

One by one, they appeared at the asteroid cluster, making their way to the central rock, the one with no atmosphere but just enough gravity to keep the smaller rocks moving in place around it. Seated on this asteroid were five strange humanoid creatures, each with long silvery white hair tied in high ponytails and white skin. Their eyes varied in colour from the deepest orange to icy blue, and their long shark-like tails echoed the tint of their eyes. They were each wrapped in a black cloak and wore tight fitting shirts to protect their human upper torsos. These mer-people of space were the Guardians, defying their own solitary nature to meet in a large group.

The eldest Guardian rose from his place on the asteroid, hovering above where he once sat. He swished his tail impatiently as the telepathic chatter of the younger Guardians died down and all eyes focused on him. His yellow eyes flashed, and he began the council.

_My friends,_ he began, speaking in the telepathic manner of the Guardians, _our race is in danger. For countless millennia, we have served as the galaxy's protectors, keeping space free of any who sought to harm another, yet our peace is being shattered by the planet-dwellers who dare reach for the stars. We are known to them, no longer just through folk lore, but in their reality._

It is the fault of that misfit, Gyana, a rash Guardian spoke up from the crowd. _Had she not boarded that planet-dweller's ship, we would still be safe!_

The crowd roared in agreement, and the elder sighed. His great granddaughter had been exiled from their race for her curiousity and he still missed her presence at these rare meetings. He held up his hands and the crowd quieted.

_It is true that Gyana was the one who revealed herself to the planet-dwellers,_ the yellow eyes elder began,_ but that would have happened eventually. Is there anyone among us who can say they have never almost been seen when helping a ship in distress?_

The crowd said nothing, faint murmurs echoing through their collective minds. The elder smiled to himself in triumph - a small one to be sure, but a victory nonetheless.

_I propose a mission of surveillance, _the elder spoke up, finally bringing home his point. _We are known to them, but they remain a mystery to us. Gyana has friends in the planet-dweller organization called the UPP. This UPP has a school where they send their hatchlings to learn and grow. I propose we send one of our own hatchlings to gather what information they can._

That is madness! a female Guardian in the crowd cried out. _Why corrupt our young with the nonsense of the planet-dwellers? You propose the end of our race!_

Patience, the elder said with a smile. _You will see the wisdom of my words._

The yellow eyed elder motioned with his hand for a young Guardian to come to the asteroid. She did as she was bid, her purple hair streaming out behind her. As she turned to face the crowd, they gasped and the elder smiled. One by one, the Guardians agreed with his choice. The elder turned to the young Guardian and put his hands on her shoulders.

_You know what you must do, _he said.

She nodded once and disappeared. Their council at an end, the Guardians broke up, each one gliding off to their designated sectors for another few decades of solitary life.

*******

Admiral Harlan Band sat at his desk, loaded down with paperwork. As he glanced up at the mounds, he briefly toyed with the idea of making a new course at Starcademy called "Admiral's Assistant" or something. Anything for him to be rid of the infinite supply of paper and compupads.

It had been about three months since Catalina's frantic call, begging him to send someone to Yensid to help her rescue Suzee. His hands had been tied, all his personnel assigned elsewhere, so he had had no choice but to send Suni and her friends. They had proven themselves reliable in both the Kaesar war and when dealing with the attempt on Radu's life. Although he loathed to take them from school right when they were writing exams, he had been assured by their teachers that the tests would be rewritten. 

"No more missing school for those three," he muttered to himself. "Next thing you know, they'll be in the space cases class."

A smile played across his face as he thought of the 'special' class for misfit cadets, the one where he had met his closest friends. They had proven to everyone they could rise to the challenge, and Harlan was certain that Suni, Tethys, and Atreus were more than capable of making up for lost time. 

A beeping from his computer screen told Harlan that he had an incoming call. He rolled his eyes and said a silent prayer to whoever might be listening, begging that it was not some diplomatic hotshot calling in a favour. He tapped a key and an image of space appeared on the screen. He frowned, recognizing the image as one from a surveillance satellite orbiting Earth. How had the satellite been patched through to his private line?

"Hello?" Harlan said in confusion.

"Admiral Harlan Band of the UPP," a young girl's voice said, although he could not see a face.

"Yes?" Harlan replied.

The image on the screen moved and Harlan gasped. Floating in space in front of the satellite's surveillance camera was a Guardian. She had long, purple hair in a high ponytail and golden eyes. Her tail was a purplish-blue and a black and gold cloak trailed from her shoulders. 

"I am Alyna," she said. "On behalf of the Guardian Council, I am requesting to be immediately enrolled in your Starcademy."

*******

Suni groaned and buried her face in her hands. Her compupad slid from limp fingers and landed on the cafeteria table with a clatter. Beside her, Tethys retrieved the compupad, her green eyes scanning the message across the screen.

"Oh dear," she murmured as she handed Suni's midterm marks back. "At least you haven't failed yet."

Atreus snatched the compupad away before Suni could take it and laughed. Suni raised her head enough to glare at her Andromedan friend.

"Look at this," Atreus continued. "Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent, conditional pass."

"I told you I was bad at shuttle repair," Suni snapped. She grabbed the compupad with Atreus's marks before he could react.

"Give that back!" Atreus protested.

Suni's eyes widened. "You got a conditional pass in Diplomatic Relations? Why didn't you ask me for help?"

Atreus took back his compupad. "I didn't have a chance. I was too busy helping someone fix a repulsor lift."

Tethys was comparing Suni's and Atreus's compupads together while her two friends argued. She shook her head.

"We've each four excellents and one conditional," she reported. "We just need to work on our weaknesses, that's all."

"What was your conditional, Tethys?" Suni asked, taking her friend's compupad. Her eyes widened and she giggled, handing the pad to Atreus.

"StarDog Heroes?" Atreus read. "Even after meeting Commander Goddard himself?"

Tethys grabbed her compupad. "The teacher didn't exactly agree with my version of the Christa story," she said haughtily.

Suni and Atreus laughed. Apparently Tethys had included their own adventure into the past in her exam - the one period of history that was not marked down in any books. The Neptunian princess primly folded her napkin and picked up a piece of fruit. 

"If you must know, I panicked. I couldn't remember half the stuff they taught us," she popped the fruit into her mouth.

"Yeah," Suni agreed. "That's my excuse, too."

"Mine too," Atreus added.

Tethys looked like she would say something more, her eyes flashing angrily, but the anger melted from her face and she smiled. A bell sounded and the cafeteria cleared, lunch over. The trio rose, still smiling, waved good bye to each other and headed off to their afternoon classes.

*******

Later that afternoon, they were all in their final class of the day - the only class they had together - StarDog Command Training. Tethys and Atreus disliked the class; all it was was learning about StarDog regulations and protocols, but Suni adored it. 

The trio sat in the middle of the classroom at the same long, bench-like desk. Suni would always eagerly raise her hand when a question was asked, while Atreus hid behind his compupad and Tethys inspected her manicure. Today, however, their teacher was late and murmured rumors ran through the class like wildfire.

"What's going on?" Suni asked impatiently.

Atreus shook his head slowly as he tried to sort out the various bits of conversation. 

"I'm not sure," he replied. "Everyone is saying something different."

Suni pouted. "I hate when no one tells me what's going on."

Tethys opened her mouth to reply when the door to the classroom slid open and their teacher walked in. He stood near the doorway, staring at the cadets until they quieted down.

"We have a new student joining us today," he announced with a smile. "Her name is Alyna. I hope you will all make her feel welcome here at Starcademy."

The door to the classroom opened again and a young girl wrapped in a black and gold cloak stepped inside. She had long purple hair which trailed down her back from a high ponytail and wore purplish-blue pants. Her eyes were golden and her skin was pale with a faint dusting of bluish fur on it. Her ears were pointed and she looked extremely uncomfortable.

"There's a seat up there, next to Suni Ianni," the teacher told her gently, pointing to Suni.

Alyna dipped her head in thanks and walked slowly and carefully to the seat. Once she had made herself comfortable, the teacher began the day's lesson.

"Hi," Suni whispered.

Alyna turned to look at her, large eyes unblinking. "Hello."

"No talking, Suni," the teacher scolded.

Suni guiltily turned her attention back to the lesson, but she kept glancing at Alyna. She had never seen a creature like this. The girl sat still and unblinking, like a statue. What puzzled Suni even more was that the girl's chest didn't move! It was as if she wasn't breathing! As much as she enjoyed the class, Suni could hardly wait for it to be over so she could question the mysterious Alyna further.

*******

"Alyna!" Suni called.

The new girl turned around to stare expressionlessly at Suni and her friends. Atreus and Tethys hung back a few steps, cowed by Alyna's unblinking stare. Suni, however, seemed not to notice and didn't stop until she stood right next to the girl.

"Suni Ianni," Alyna said the name slowly, as if she had never spoken aloud before.

"Where are you going?" Suni asked.

Alyna frowned. "We have no more classes today, correct?"  
Suni nodded.

"Then I will rest until tomorrow," Alyna finished.

The purple haired girl started to move away, but Suni followed her. Atreus and Tethys came as well, but remained behind them.

"Why not come hang out with us?" Suni suggested.

"Hang out?" Alyna repeated, obviously confused.

"Sit with us," Atreus supplied helpfully. "Talk."

Alyna nodded in understanding. "That is a good idea. I will join you, Suni Ianni."

Suni smiled. "Great! Let's go to the 'sphere."

*******

"Are you crazy?" Catalina demanded.

Harlan winced, wishing he had kept Rosie on the phone long enough to calm Catalina down. The Saturnian was livid and Harlan could almost see her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for his explanation.

"I couldn't say no," Harlan protested. "Anyone from the UPP is permitted to enroll in Starcademy."

Catalina rolled her eyes. "In case you haven't realized, Admiral, the Guardians are not part of the UPP."

"It was a good will gesture," Harlan said. "Maybe they'll join us."

"Or maybe they'll destroy us," Cat snapped. "Honestly, Harlan. We know almost nothing about their race! They could be dangerous."

"Gyana wasn't dangerous," Harlan objected.

"Gyana was exiled," Cat reminded him, "maybe because she was gentle."

Harlan sat up straighter in his chair, pulling rank on his old friend. "I'm sorry if you disagree, Ambassador, but it's my decision to make. Alyna stays."

Cat's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fine then, Admiral. If anything happens, it'll be your responsibility."

Harlan almost shrank back at her words. He remembered his first brief stint as a captain onboard the Christa. The ship had nearly been destroyed by the Spung and the white circle had reappeared, whisking them back to where it had originally dropped them off. 

"I put her in classes with Suni, Tethys, and Atreus," Harlan said, more to make himself feel better than Catalina. "They'll watch out for her. Trust me, Cat."

Catalina said nothing but turned off her screen. As the image went black, Harlan wondered if he had made the right choice after all. 

*******

Alyna looked around at the plant life in the biosphere with childlike wonderment. They walked all over the park, the strange new girl questioning them about their surroundings. Tethys gladly answered all of her questions, thrilled to have someone interested in botany to talk to. Alyna would pause to touch a flower petal and smiled at its softness, only to turn and prick her finger on a thorn and cry out at the sudden pain. Atreus observed this all silently, wondering what kind of a planet Alyna had grown up on. 

Finally, they arrived at the tree where they usually sat. With little more than an hour left until dinner, the small ground of four settled on the grass. Alyna plucked a blade, twirling it between two fingers.

"So," Suni began, "where are you from, Alyna? I've never seen your race before."

Alyna blinked in surprise and dropped the blade of grass. "I thought all your kind knew of my people. It is one of the reasons I am here."

Suni, Tethys, and Atreus all shook their heads. 

"I must confess, your races are all foreign to me as well," Alyna said, carefully twisting the conversation away from herself.

Atreus frowned. "Nice try. You answer our question, then we'll answer yours."

Alyna dipped her head. "As you wish. I am a Guardian."

"I'm half Mercurian, half Uranusian," Suni said brightly. She pointed to each of her friends in turn. "Tethys is Neptunian and Atreus is Andromedan."

"And you are friend with Admiral Harlan Band?" Alyna asked.

Suni nodded. "He's our uncle. Well, not by blood, but our parents have been friends since they were our ages, so he's family to us."

"What about you?" Atreus asked. "What brings you to Starcademy halfway through the year?"

"I wish to become more familiar with different cultures," Alyna replied. "I was unable to attend until now."

"Why?" Atreus pressed.

"Atreus," Suni hissed, shooting him a dirty look.

"I had - family business to attend to," Alyna replied smoothly.

They talked until the bell rang, signaling the end of their free time and the beginning of dinner. The foursome rose, and Atreus and Tethys started to leave. The Neptunian held Atreus's arm to stop him when she realized that neither Alyna nor Suni followed.

"Come on," Atreus whined. "I'm hungry!"  
"Aren't you coming?" Suni asked Alyna, ignoring her Andromedan friend.

The Guardian smiled and shook her head. "I will rest now, thank you. Enjoy your meals and I will see you tomorrow."

Grudgingly, Suni turned to follow her friend. She took a few steps before spinning around to implore Alyna to join them. When she once again faced the tree, the purple haired Guardian had vanished.

*******

Alyna glanced over her shoulder and into the biosphere. Although she was far away in space, she almost thought she could see Suni's pink head through the thick glass that protected the cadets from space. With a faint smile, Alyna glided further away from the school and waited patiently.

_I have been waiting, Alyna_, a voice said in her mind.

Alyna dipped her head, aware that the speaker could not see her. _I apologize for my tardiness_, she replied.

_How was your first day among the planet-dwellers?_

_Elder,_ Alyna said, _your plan is working perfectly. I have much to tell you tonight._

*******

Petunia Wharncliffe, principal of Starcademy and retired StarDog, hummed to herself as she walked down the long hall to her office. Her arms were heavily laden with books and papers, and she tried to shift her bundle into one arm to fish for her keys. As she neared her office door, a few papers escaped and flew to the floor. Petunia sighed, blowing a stray lock of pink hair out of her eyes, and reminded herself to return to pick them up later. Her hand, which fumbled around in her pocket, finally closed around her keys and she pulled them free triumphantly. Readjusting her papers once again, she reached her office door and gasped in shock. The door was already open.

Petunia slowly deposited her papers on the floor and peeked inside her office. When she realized that no one was there, she straightened and let her eyes take in the damage.

Her desk drawers were open and their contents overturned onto her desk. Her normally locked filing cabinets had been spilled over the floor, papers and student records covering her office like a rug. Her computer was on, but she knew it would take her a few minutes to figure out exactly which files had been stolen. 

Gingerly, Petunia made her way to her phone and punched in a sequence of numbers. The face of a man appeared on her screen - old but still tough.

"Principal Wharncliffe," he said gruffly. "A little early to be making calls."

"Bad new, Chief," Petunia told her security officer. "I'm reporting a break-in and possibly a robbery."

*******

Rumors about the break-in were already circling around Starcademy by breakfast the next morning - scarcely three hours after the crime had been discovered. Suni, Tethys, and Atreus sat at their table eating, the Andromedan quieter than usual as he concentrated on filtering out the excess noises.

"What do you think happened?" Suni asked her friend as she slurped down her third helping of oatmeal.

"Space pirate," Tethys replied with a straight face, daintily peeling the skin of her fruit.

Suni giggled and Tethys's face cracked into a smile.

"What's the most popular rumor, Atreus?" Tethys asked.

The Andromedan stared blankly at his untouched food. His friends watched him in concern. Suni playfully catapulted a bit of oatmeal from her spoon at him, ignoring Tethys's disapproving frown.

"Atreus?" Tethys repeated.

He shook his head and forced a smile on his face. Looking around the cafeteria, he asked, "Where's Alyna?"

"Maybe she's not hungry," Suni said.

"She didn't eat last night either," Tethys remarked.

The bell rang and the Starcademy cadets dutifully marched out of the cafeteria to their morning classes. Suni and Tethys waved good bye to Atreus until they would meet again for Study Hall, and headed to their classes. Atreus watched them go and hoped the whispered rumors about Alyna never reached Suni's ears.

*******

As Atreus rounded the final corner to his first class of the day, he was surprised to see Alyna standing there waiting for him. He had not heard her approach, but had to admit that his mind had been elsewhere. Did the new cadet have an alibi for last night? Could the girl Suni had so eagerly befriended be a thief?

The Guardian looked strange in her gray uniform. She still wore her black and gold cloak, and Atreus saw her purple and blue pants peeking out from beneath the hem of her uniform. She looked very uncomfortable as well, pulling on her shirt sleeves as if she had never worn clothing before.

"Good morning," Atreus greeted her.

Alyna blinked and dipped her head in greeting. "Hello."

"Are you in my Alien Cultures class?" Atreus asked, pointing to the door.

Alyna smiled. "Yes. How fortunate that I already know someone."

Atreus forced a smile. He would be nice to the Guardian for Suni's sake, but something about her made his skin crawl. 

"Shall we go in?" the Andromedan headed for the door, not pausing to see if the Guardian followed or not.

*******

Suni grabbed her helmet from the room she shared with Tethys and headed to the turbo lift. Her excitement bubbled inside her, threatening to overflow as she sped toward the docking bays. She might be horrible at repairing shuttles, but flying them was a different story. Once a week, she used her spare period to practice her flying in hopes of getting her pilot license, or maybe even joining the elite Air Strikers.

The doors of the turbo lift slid open and, as Suni stepped out, she nearly collided with Alyna. The purple haired girl stepped back, dipping her head in apology.

"What are you doing down here?" Suni asked.

The lower decks of Starcademy, containing the docking bays, were ordinarily off limits to cadets unless they had a pass. Suni's pass was deep in the pocket of her flight suit, along with the access codes for the old fighter she flew. 

"I have a spare hour," Alyna explained calmly. "I am exploring. Why are you here, Suni Ianni?"

Suni held up her helmet. "Practicing. You wanna come?"

Alyna smiled and nodded. Suni returned the grin and the two girls headed down the corridor to the docking bay.

*******

"All systems go," Suni reported. "Decompressing airlock and opening outside doors."

Alyna sat behind Suni in the passenger's chair while the pink girl eased the small shuttle into the air. Before them, the two large doors leading into space slowly opened and Suni guided the craft down the launch tube.

"Yee haw!" Suni cried happily as they shot into space.

The Mercurian/Uranusian tried to thrill Alyna with her stunts, but the purple haired girl seemed more interested in the inside of the shuttle. She watched carefully as Suni skillfully manipulated the controls to make the ship do her bidding.

"You're supposed to be watching the stars," Suni said.

"I am fascinated with how you are flying. This is my first time in a shuttle," Alyna said with a smile. "This type of shuttle, I mean."

Suni grinned. "Hang on. I'll show you what this old ship can do!"

Suni whooped with delight as her craft did barrel rolls, loop-the-loops, and high speed turns. Alyna remained quiet throughout the ride with a tight lipped smile on her face. The pink skinned girl was puzzled; she would have thought someone who had rarely been in a shuttle would enjoy the ride.

"Look over there," Suni said as she flew behind the school.

The end of their hour was rapidly approaching and Suni was circling closer to Starcademy to prepare to dock. 

A strange ship hovered close to the school, with a boarding deck stretched from it to the school. The ship bore no insignia or registration numbers, and resembled a grey box floating in space.

"Peculiar," Alyna commented. "I have never seen a ship like that before."

"Me neither," Suni replied, although she wondered how many ships Alyna could possibly have seen.

As Suni brought her own craft closer, the box-like ship seemed to spring into life. Still attacked to Starcademy, the ship turned on them and compartments in the hull slipped open.

"What's it doing?" Suni wondered.

Her answer came quicker than expected when a sudden burst of laser fire hit her ship. The old, unshielded shuttle was suddenly ablaze with warning lights.

"It's firing on us!" Suni gasped. "We're completely unarmed!"

"Can we run?" Alyna asked.

Suni tried to move her ship, but when she nudged the controls, it caused a chain reaction of red lights to ignite on her console. The grey ship looked like it was preparing to finish them off. 

"Keep trying," Alyna said. "I'll hold off the attack."

Before Suni could ask how, the Guardian had vanished from the shuttle and reappeared in space. Suni gasped as Alyna's legs merged into a single long, shark-like tail. The ship fired again and Alyna placed herself directly in the line of fire.

"Look out!" Suni shouted, knowing well her friend could not hear her.

Alyna made a wide sweeping motion with her arms, and the laser bolts veered to either side of Suni's ship. The Mercurian/Uranusian gasped in amazement, then tore her eyes from the scene outside to concentrate on fixing her ship. She racked her brain for her lesson in rerouting non-essential power to jumpstart the shuttle, wishing Atreus was with her. Suni peeked outside again and saw Alyna valiantly deflecting the laser fire.

_Connect the blue with the green under the control panel_, Alyna's voice came into her mind.

Suni blinked in surprise but did as she was told, using a small spark from her finger to fuse the connection. The engine sputtered to life and Suni smiled, feeling very proud of her accomplishment. She glanced outside, waiting for Alyna to join her.

_Go!_ the Guardian spoke urgently in her mind.

Suni sped off, looking behind every once in a while to see if her friend followed. As she rounded the corner of Starcademy, the last thing she saw was Alyna still deflecting the laser fire. Suni circled to hover just outside the docking bay, hoping the school would shield her from any more attacks.

"That was quite the adventure," Alyna remarked.

Nearly jumping out of her skin, Suni turned and saw the Guardian sitting behind her in the passenger's chair. A quick glance down revealed the tail had split once more into legs.

"I am sorry to have frightened you," Alyna said, "but it was quite necessary in order to save you."

"Th-thanks," Suni stammered. "How - what - when - "

Alyna held up her hand to ward off Suni's questions, and smiled. "Let us return to class. I will speak to you later. I have but one request."

"What?" Suni asked.

"Do not tell anyone what you have seen about me," Alyna replied.

Suni nodded, still in shock from their narrow escape. As she began the docking procedure, she knew that Alyna would not be able to answer the questions that nagged at her the most. What was that strange ship and why was it at Starcademy?

*******

At 1630 hours, when Suni and her friends usually headed to the biosphere to relax after school, Alyna waved the pink skinned girl aside. Suni took a step to join her, but was halted by Atreus's hand on her shoulder.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"With Alyna," Suni replied. "Don't worry, I'll meet you guys at dinner. Same time, same place as usual."

"You sure you don't want us to come?" Tethys asked.

Suni smiled and nodded. Still frowning, Atreus released his friend and watched her disappear down the hall with the purple haired guardian. 

"I don't trust her," Atreus mumbled.

Tethys nodded. "Neither do I, and would you look at her clothes? How awful!"

Atreus shot his friend a dirty look for making light of the situation. The Neptunian princess smiled sheepishly.

"No sense standing around here," Tethys remarked. "Come on, let's go to the 'sphere."

Atreus allowed himself to be pulled down the hall in the opposite direction Suni had gone. Something was definitely amiss with the Guardian, and he didn't want Suni to get hurt.

*******

"It's not that I think she's a bad person," Atreus said. "She just gives me the creeps."

Tethys pulled herself up onto her elbows from where she lay on the grass to stare at her friend. The two of them were still lounging around in the biosphere, patiently waiting for the bell to sound the beginning of dinner. The 'sphere wasn't very full, and so Atreus and Tethys had a certain amount of privacy.

"She give an Andromedan the creeps?" Tethys repeated. 

Atreus shrugged. "She's just so - different."

"Like Radu was when he first came here?"  
Atreus reddened. "Point taken."

Tethys stretched and sat up in one fluid motion. Absently running her fingers through her long, green hair, she regarded her friend thoughtfully.

"I know what you mean, though," she said. "Maybe if we did some research on her species, we realize she's just like us."

Atreus grinned. "Trust you to suggest school work during our free time."

"Would you rather go over today's Diplomatic Relations lecture?" Tethys inquired.

Atreus leapt to his feet. "Come on, let's get researching!"

The Neptunian smiled and laughed. "Nothing like a little motivation."

The two of them headed down the path toward the exit. Atreus went first and stopped dead in the hall, causing Tethys to crash into his back. 

"Hey!" the princess objected.

"I saw her!" Atreus hissed. "She just went around the corner."

"No way," Tethys replied. "She's with Suni."

"Who else in Starcademy wears a black and gold cloak?" Atreus demanded. "Come on, let's follow her."

Grabbing his friends hand, Atreus pulled Tethys down the hall. The Neptunian followed wordlessly, wondering where Suni was if Alyna was with them.

*******

The cloaked figure rounded another corner and disappeared as the turbo lift doors slammed shut. Atreus paused in the hallway, listening to the lift as it moved. Tethys stood behind her friend, his hand still holding hers, and waited.

"The lift is heading down," Atreus said. "Third level, I think."

Tethys pushed the button to retrieve the lift, assuming that Atreus would want to continue the chase.

"What's on the third level?" Tethys asked. "Isn't that off limits to cadets?"

"Apparently no one told Alyna that," Atreus said.

The lift doors slid open and they stepped inside. As they neared the third level, Atreus once again listened for sounds of the Guardian. The doors opened onto the third level and he was in hot pursuit before Tethys could utter a word.

The princess followed as fast as she could, slamming into Atreus's back again as he skidded to a halt in front of one of the corridors. Tethys peered around his shoulder and saw the entire hall was a mess of papers, and that one of the doors lining the hall had been opened.

"The hall of records," Tethys murmured. "Who would want to steal something here?"

"I don't know," Atreus said, "but we better inform Principal Wharncliffe."

*******

Atreus, Tethys, Suni, and Alyna stood outside Principal Wharncliffe's office. They had already presented their cases, Atreus speaking out against Alyna while Suni defended her. Tethys and Alyna had remained mostly silent throughout the trial, speaking when only asked a direct question. Tethys had taken the opportunity to observe the Guardian, and she found that there was indeed something about her that seemed out of place.

The door opened and Principal Wharncliffe stepped out with Chief Security Officer Rolf Damish behind her. Suni glared at Atreus, and the Andromedan did his best to ignore her hurtful looks. After all, hadn't he been doing all this to protect her?

"We've reached a decision," Ms Wharncliffe said. "Since there is no hard evidence against Alyna, we have no choice but to issue a warning. Alyna, you will stay away from the lower levels and remain in your room outside of class time."

Alyna's face paled. "But, Principal Wharncliffe - "

"No objections," the principal said sternly. "You are fortunate to be getting off this lightly."

"You don't understand," Suni spoke up. 

"Miss Ianni, after your colourful commentary earlier, I'm inclined to place the same restrictions on you!" Ms Wharncliffe snapped.

Suni quieted, but kept glaring at Atreus. 

"Now, you've nearly missed dinner, but if you hurry maybe cook will have something left for you to eat tonight. Dismissed."

The four cadets saluted and headed down the hall. Atreus and Tethys lead the way, with Suni and Alyna a few feet behind them. They were speaking quietly to themselves, but Atreus forced himself not to listen. The last thing he needed was for Suni to accuse him of eavesdropping as well.

*******

Atreus yawned and draped his towel over his shoulder. He headed back to his room, which he shared with another Andromedan, from the washrooms. As he turned to open his door, his sensitive hearing picked up a conversation a few doors down that chilled him to the bone.

"They don't suspect a thing," a young cadet was saying. 

"Excellent," a strangely familiar voice replied. "We have all the information we need from this place. You know what to do next."

"Yes, Master," the cadet said. "Leave it to me. You won't be disappointed."

"We will soon have what we need, my young friend," the familiar voice continued. 

Atreus shivered and entered his room, closing the door firmly behind him and burying himself under his blanket. His roommate was already sleeping, Atreus could tell by his slow breathing and heart rate, but sleep would not come as easily for Atreus. The hauntingly familiar voice that the cadet had called Master nagged at him. He had heard that voice somewhere before.

*******

_What is your progress, Alyna?_

I am learning more every day, Elder, Alyna replied from the depths of space. _I am also learning about strange relationship ties planet-dwellers seem to have with each other. When an outsider threatens these ties, the planet-dweller responds with hostility._

_That is noted_, the elder replied. _Keep gathering as much information as you can, any way you can._

Alyna dipped her head, although the elder could not see her, and disappeared from space.

*******

Atreus tried not to look at Alyna as they sat next to each other in their Diplomatic Relations course the next day. Even though Principal Wharncliffe had not believed Alyna had stolen the school records, Atreus had seen her with his own eyes. The mystery now was why would the Guardian want student records? 

Atreus sighed and wished he could talk to Suni about it. The pink skinned girl was always better at figuring out these puzzles than he was. After all, hadn't she deciphered the clues pointing to Radu's would-be assassins? But Suni wasn't speaking to him right now, nor could he blame her. He had stood up against his dearest friend, hoping that she could see the error of her ways, but she had stubbornly refused to back down. At least she still spoke with Tethys, who had artfully remained guilt free after the accusations. Atreus supposed it was for the best, since the two girls shared a room together.

"We have a special treat today, class," the teacher announced. She smiled at her students, flicking her long orange hair over her shoulder. "We're going on a tour of the UPP Headquarters on Earth this afternoon."

Out of the corner of his eye, Atreus saw a young Neptunian cadet sit a little straighter. Just like the best students in the class to be eager for extra work, Atreus thought. 

"I realize you each have two more classes today," the teacher continued, "but I have arranged for you all to stay with me until dinner at 1830 hours."

The class groaned, hating to stay in school through their free time, but relieved to be missing two classes. The teacher frowned prettily.

"Come, come," she chided. "Yours is the only class I'm taking right now. If your tour goes well, the other classes will follow. Be a little more enthusiastic, please."

The Neptunian a few seats away from Atreus gave a smile and a little clap. The teacher smiled up at him in thanks.

"Take your compupads and follow me," she instructed. "Your each to write a composition on diplomatic tact after our tour. If you're lucky, we may even meet the Admiral himself."

Atreus noted that Alyna seemed to brighten at the idea. He wondered if Harlan would be the Guardian's next target, or even if his uncle knew the girl was here at Starcademy. Vowing to keep his eye on Alyna, Atreus rose from his seat to follow the others out of the classroom.

*******

The UPP Headquarters on Earth was an enormous complex situated over the Pacific ocean. Many smaller sea-cities existed all over the planet, compensating for the overcrowded conditions on land. Atreus had only been to Earth once before, and by Alyna's apparent nervousness, this was her first time on the planet. 

The tour began with the lower levels of the headquarters, their teacher carefully explaining how every person contributed to the overall diplomacy of the UPP. Atreus found his mind wandering as he tried to pay attention to his teacher. Most of all, he focused on Alyna. 

The Guardian was standing off to one side, in front of the overeager Neptunian boy he had noticed in class earlier. She seemed anxious for some reason, her heart beating fast and her breathing short and shallow. Atreus noted that she hid it well; he could not see her chest moving at all to keep up with her rapid breath. 

The Neptunian put up his hand to interrupt the teacher's lecture. She smiled at him, permitting him to speak.

"Ms Eros," he said, and Atreus thought he heard a touch of panic in the young cadet's voice. "When will we be visiting the upper offices?"

Ms Eros's smile broadened. "Eager to speak with the Admiral, Nylph?" she joked. 

The Neptunian known as Nylph blushed. "No, Ma'am."

"Then please be patient. We'll be there shortly."

Nylph quieted and Atreus returned his attention to Alyna. He wondered if he would have a chance to speak with his Uncle Harlan about the recent robberies, and about the strange Guardian who had infiltrated the school.

*******

Admiral Harlan Band adjusted the collar of his uniform and smiled at himself in his mirror. He was preparing to meet the Diplomatic Relations class which had descended from Starcademy to tour the Headquarters, a rare treat. With another glance at the piles of work behind him on his desk, Harlan again thought about coaxing a few cadets into becoming his assistants. 

"Here's the class list you requested, sir," an aide said, handing a compupad to the Admiral.

Harlan thanked him and glanced over the list. Quite a few of the cadets were Earthers, a few Mercurians, a Neptunian, his nephew Atreus and - 

"Alyna?" Harlan gasped. 

He wondered how Ms Eros had managed to persuade the Guardian to descend to a planet. He knew that Guardians disliked the oppressive atmosphere of planets. Did Alyna object, or come to Earth like the other cadets to avoid ridicule? Harlan grimaced at the thought, thinking back to how he had teased Radu mercilessly merely because he was an Andromedan. Well, if Alyna was here, then good for her.

"When will the class arrive?" Harlan called to his aide.

The aide - a young Venusian woman - double checked her compupad before answering.

"They are scheduled to meet you at 1600 hours," she replied. "After their break."

Harlan nodded. "Well, since I seem to have a spare half hour, maybe I'll go down to the cafeteria and speak with my nephew. Maybe answer some questions, if the class has any yet."

"Very good, sir," his aide replied. "Shall I assign you an escort?"

Harlan shook his head. "If I'm not safe here, then where will I be safe?"

Without waiting for an answer, he left his office.

*******

Atreus sat at the opposite end of the cafeteria, facing Alyna and watching her closely. The Guardian did not eat, but sat docilely while her classmates at their snacks. The first part of the tour had been long and boring, Ms Eros commenting on every aspect of UPP diplomacy in the lower ranks. She had stopped people to speak to them for a few minutes and neither the teacher, nor the cadets, were impressed by anything their guest speakers said. 

Behind him, Atreus heard the cafeteria door slide open and footsteps heading in his direction. He heard a few cadets gasp under their breathes, but did not take his eyes off Alyna until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Atreus slowly turned around to look up into the happy, twinkling eyes of his uncle.

"Admiral, sir!" he said with a salute.

"At ease," Harlan replied, rolling his eyes. "I know we're both in uniform, but until the end of the break, can't I just be Uncle Harlan?"

Atreus smiled. "Always, uncle. There is actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

Harlan's eyebrows lifted in interest as Atreus outlined what had been happening at Starcademy. He left out his accusations of Alyna for now, preferring to tied all the strings together at the end and let his uncle draw his own conclusions. 

Before Atreus could tell his uncle about Alyna, a troop of armed StarDogs marched into the cafeteria, surrounding the group of cadets. Harlan leapt to his feet, his eyes searching out the captain of the troop to figure out what was going on. Atreus's eyes automatically scanned for Alyna, and he was surprised to see her missing. 

"What is the meaning of this?" Harlan demanded.

"Admiral, sir, there's been an incident," the captain said with a salute. "We're here to assure your safety."

"What kind of incident?" Harlan asked.

"Your office, sir," the captain reported. "It's been ransacked."

*******

The tour cut short, Atreus found himself and his classmates being herded onto the nearest shuttle back to Starcademy. He also noticed that neither Alyna, nor Nylph, were among those heading back to school. He was about to alert Ms Eros when the green skinned Neptunian appeared at the end of the line with Alyna a step behind him. 

Seated in the shuttle, Atreus found himself next to Nylph. Alyna was at the back, hidden in shadow as she sat with her cloak wrapped around her. Atreus leaned over to speak with the Neptunian.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

Nylph jerked as if he had been struck and his eyes darted back and forth warily. "What do you mean?" he replied.

"I saw you coming back with Alyna, and I know she disappeared right before the Admiral's office was robbed," Atreus explained. "You went and found her, right?"

Nylph relaxed slightly. Atreus glanced back at Alyna, and found that she was staring right at him. 

"Yeah," Nylph said. "I found her after she ransacked the Admiral's office."

Atreus smiled in triumph. "That's all I needed to know. Thanks."

*******

Suni paced back and forth across the room she shared with Tethys. The princess lay on her bed, her head propped up by one hand while the other hand flipped through a magazine. The pink skinned girl was fuming, muttering under her breath and waving her hands in the air. 

"Of all the arrogant, jealous, self centered idiots!" Suni exclaimed. "He accused Alyna of breaking into the Admiral's office? When it was Uncle Harlan who admitted her in the first place?"

Tethys raised her eyes to watch her friend. "Calm down, Suni. You'll end up shorting out."

"I can't calm down," Suni snapped. "What does Atreus have against Alyna? Just because she's different?"

"No," Tethys said slowly, "I think it's because strange things started happening right after she showed up."

Suni turned on her friend. "Are you taking his side?"

Tethys held up her hands in surrender. "I'm staying neutral in this. I'm not losing you and Atreus over something so trivial!"

"There must be some way to prove that Alyna didn't do it," Suni mused, slowing her pacing to think. 

"Are you absolutely sure Alyna is innocent?" Tethys asked.

Suni sat down on her bed, facing Tethys. The Neptunian pulled herself into a sitting position to face her friend eye to eye. Suni licked her lips and lowered her voice.

"If I tell you this, you have to swear not to tell anyone else," Suni said quietly. "Alyna told me it in confidence, but I think it will prove her innocence."

Tethys nodded, eyes wide with curiousity. Quickly, Suni began to tell her friend what Alyna had told her that night not so long ago.

*******

"They know, Master."

"Then you must do what is necessary."

"Yes, Master. It shall be done, for the good of the planet!"

*******

Atreus woke with a start, sitting upright in bed. He inhaled sharply, then clamped a hand over his mouth so the gasp would not wake his roommate. He had heard something strange, a conversation not far away, or had it been a dream? 

Rising, Atreus slipped on his robe and slippers and quietly left his room. He headed for the washroom to splash some water on his face, make himself forget the threatening words he had overheard. 

As he turned the corner, he heard someone walking behind him. Strange, but not unheard of at this time of night; obviously another cadet who felt the call of nature. As the footsteps drew closer, coming faster, Atreus felt the urge to flee. He took a few quick steps and swung open the washroom door only to be face to face with a yilith blossom. 

The fragrance from the yellow plant quickly did its work, and Atreus found himself growing lightheaded and weak. He posed no threat to the person who finally caught up to him, and bound his hands behind his back. With the yilith blossom firmly pinned to his robe, Atreus was barely conscious as someone dragged him out of the washroom and down the hall.

*******

"Please, awake!" 

Suni moaned in her sleep and cracked open her eyes. A person with purple hair and pale skin was standing above her, frantically shaking her shoulder. 

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Suni mumbled, pulling herself upright. "Whazza matter?"

Alyna had gone to Tethys's side, shaking the princess until her eyes snapped open and she nearly screamed. Pushing Alyna away, Tethys sat up and glared at the intruder.

"How did you get in here?" Tethys demanded. "The door is locked."

"Remember our conversation last night?" Suni reminded her friend. "Guardians can teleport."

Tethys's mouth formed a silent "oh", and Alyna turned to the Mercurian/Uranusian. The Guardian's eyes were wide with fright and betrayal.

"You promised me, Suni Ianni, you would not tell anyone!" Alyna said.

"I had to," Suni replied. "It was the only way I could convince Tethys you weren't ransacking the school."

Alyna nodded. "More importantly, your Atreus-friend is missing. He was taken by the true thief."

Tethys gasped in alarm, now fully awake. Suni leapt to her feet.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"I am a Guardian," Alyna replied. "It is my duty to protect space and all its inhabitants, whether they like me or not."

"You were spying?" Tethys exclaimed, already half dressed.

"Not spying, observing, as is my duty," Alyna explained. "We must hurry! Atreus is in danger. They have drugged him with a strange yellow flower."

"Yilith!" Tethys gasped. "I hope they haven't given him too much!"

As Suni pulled on her shirt and grabbed a flashlight, Tethys and Alyna were already out the door. Stubborn Atreus, Suni thought. What kind of a mess has he got himself into this time?

*******

Atreus moaned and opened his eyes. His head reeled with the poisonous gas of the yilith plant and his muscles felt like jelly. He was chained to a post deep in the bowels of Starcademy, in a room he had never entered before. Judging by the noise, Atreus winced at the thought, they were near the massive furnace that heated the school.

Raising his head, Atreus saw that the entire metal room where he was being held was decorated with yilith plants. No wonder his head was swimming! He wondered how long he had been down here, whether or not anyone had missed him. 

"Awake, are you?"

Atreus blinked to clear his fuzzy vision and saw the Neptunian from his Diplomatic Relations class standing in front of him. The Neptunian was wearing his Starcademy uniform and smiling down at his captive.

"Nylph," Atreus said, his voice sounding sluggish. "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of any snags in my path," Nylph replied. "You are too close to discovering the truth, Atreus. The Master and I can't have you ruining our plans."

"Plans? For what?"

"Freedom for my people, what else?" Nylph replied. 

Atreus shook his head in confusion. "Aren't you Neptunian? Your people are free."

"Not while that false Queen Clito has beguiled our King, making him become one with her," Nylph spat at Clito's name.

Atreus thought he heard a gasp and a shushing sound coming from somewhere behind him, but could not be sure through his throbbing head. Was the yilith plant capable of causing hallucinations? He would have to remember to ask Tethys later, if he survived.

"What does Neptune have to do with the school records?" Atreus asked.

"A fee, nothing more," Nylph replied. "I deliver the records to my Master, and he makes sure that the kingdom of Poseidonae becomes purified and rules Neptune, as it should."

Atreus couldn't for the life of him think of Neptune's history. The yilith plant was making his vision waver dangerously between real and imaginary. What were the prolonged effects of this strange plant on an Andromedan? Couldn't be good, he guessed.

"Who is this Master?" Atreus asked, hoping to keep the deranged Neptunian patriot talking. 

"A true Neptunian, like me," Nylph replied proudly. "He believes that Poseidonae should rule, and is willing to help my cause to make it so."

"You want the war to start again?" 

Atreus swore he heard the question, but wasn't sure if he was the one who asked it. Lifting his head (he hadn't realized it had slumped to his chest), Atreus saw Tethys standing beside him. Was it really Tethys, or some delusion? Must be real, because Nylph was staring at her too.

"You want thousands more to die because my father married my mother?" Tethys cried. "You want to restore the carnage after all these years of peace?"

"Princess," Nylph spat. "I knew you wouldn't understand. You're corrupted with Atlantican blood!"

"But I am also Poseidonian," Tethys reminded him. "There are hundreds like me, born out of a united planet. Will you condemn us all to death in your perfect world, even if we are only half 'corrupt', as you put it?"

Nylph bit his lip unsure of how to reply. Tethys stared him down, and Atreus felt like cheering his friend on, suddenly giddy from the yilith pollen. He felt something around his wrists and twisted his head to see Suni crouched behind him.

"Pull them apart, Atreus," she hissed. "They're not strong. You're stronger!"

Atreus smiled and laughed, thinking of the weak links that kept him tied to the post. He could snap them! They were like those strange spaghetti noodles Uncle Harlan had fed him once. Weak and wibbly, like his muscles.

"Come on, Atreus!" Suni prodded. "Pull!"

Taking a deep breath, and wishing he hadn't as the yilith pollen was sucked into his lungs, Atreus ripped apart the chains that bound him. Nylph turned, gaping in outrage as Atreus stared dumbly at his now-free wrists. 

"A trick!" Nylph screamed, drawing a blaster out from his belt and aiming it at Tethys.

"Tethys!" Suni cried, running away from Atreus to force her friend clear. 

Nylph fired twice - once at Tethys, the other time at Atreus. Time slowed as the two bolts made their way to their targets. Suni collided with Tethys, pushing the princess away from the blast. It instead struck Suni in the abdomen, and she fell to the metal ground with a thud. 

The second bolt sped toward Atreus, who regarded his incoming fate with a drug induced smile. From out of the shadows, Alyna appeared, placing herself between the bolt and Atreus. Screwing her face up in concentration, Alyna made a sweeping motion with her arms and the bolt inched off course, harmlessly hitting the pole behind Atreus. 

In the next instant, time regained speed as Alyna used the chain Atreus had been tied in to wrap up Nylph. Tethys knelt on the floor next to Suni, sobbing. The door to the room slid open and four security officers marched in. As they took in the sight, Alyna calmly explained what had happened, and Suni and Atreus were taken to the medlab.

*******

Suni opened her eyes and found herself lying face down, staring at herself. Her body lay on a white medlab bed with medics rushing around her. She could see the charred skin around her side where she had taken the blaster bolt for Tethys. 

"Not again," she sighed.

"You are a handful, you know," a new voice said.

Suni flipped over and saw a young Mercurian hovering nearby. She smiled in spite of her situation and drifted over to him. Mattar, friend of her parents and now her Guarding Spirit, smiled.

"I should have chosen a less worrisome charge," Mattar continued. "Someone who doesn't charge Kaesar warriors, jump around through time, take on rogue Andromedans, and get shot by deranged Neptunians."

"Cut it out, Mattar," Suni said. "I'm having a rough night."

Mattar smiled at her. "It's not your time yet, you know."

Suni smiled back. "Thank you. That's a relief to hear, but at least I can spend the awkward waiting time with you."

*******

Atreus sputtered and coughed as a thick, cold liquid was forced down his throat. He licked his lips and tried to turn his head as the cup was returned to his mouth. He found himself too weak to move, and suffered patiently as the mixture slid into his stomach. Surprisingly, he felt much better. 

He cracked open his eyes and saw that he was in the medlab. A look to the right revealed Suni in a bed next to his, her pink skin paler than usual and several machines hooked up to her. To his left, he saw Alyna standing in the corner. 

His mind swam with visions of his encounter with Nylph. The words were slurred and the pictures hazy, but he did recall the Guardian sending the laser bolt away from him. How she managed to do that, he didn't think he'd ever know.

"You are alive," Alyna remarked.

Atreus blinked and smiled. "Thank you," he rasped.

"What for?" Alyna asked.

"For saving me, even after I'd been such a jerk to you."

Alyna dipped her head. "I understand your reasonings, I think. You were afraid of the unknown, and believed that since I arrived at the same time as the robberies, the two must be connected."

Atreus raised an eyebrow and Alyna smiled at him.

"Tethys explained it to me," Alyna confessed. "I hope that we can start again, Atreus, and maybe be friends."

Atreus opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a fit of coughing. Alyna gently lay a hand on his chest, and it glowed blue for a few moments. Atreus inhaled and found his breathing was more clear, and his mind as well.

"What did you do?" Atreus whispered.

"Guardians are mysterious creatures," Alyna replied with a wink. "There will always be much you do not know about me. The rest, you will learn with time."

Atreus nodded and Alyna took a step away from his bed. While the Andromedan watched, the Guardian wrapped her cloak around herself and vanished.

*******

In the space around Starcademy, Alyna prepared herself to send her report. The elders were more receptive than usual tonight, she noticed. No doubt because of the disturbance she had caused by moving air waves instead of solar waves. 

_Your report, please_, the elder replied, and Alyna knew it to be her great-great-grandfather, the one with the yellow eyes.

_I have learned much by living among the planet-dwellers,_ Alyna said. _Their ways are strange, but not unlike our own. I believe we may continue to exist as we do now, but be wary for emotions such as jealousy, hatred, and pride. These are difficult for planet-dwellers to control._

_Good job, Alyna_, the elder said happily. _We have gained much information about the planet-dwellers. You may return to your sector of space now._

_Elders,_ Alyna said slowly. _I have not had a sector of space to guard for a long time. I had nothing to guard, until now. I beg you to allow me to remain with the planet-dwellers, learn more of their customs and cultures. I have made friends who will help me understand their ways, while they learn about ours._

The elders were silent. Alyna feared that, like her mother, she would be cast aside from the Guardian council. She had committed no crime other than fulfilling the wishes of the Elders, but somehow, she may have lost her way.

_You may remain, Alyna,_ the elders said at last. _Consider this area of space to be yours. You will protect its inhabitants at all costs, and continue to make reports to us._

Alyna dipped her head as she felt the elders' presence fading. A place of her own to guard! Friends with whom she could speak, not the solitary life that she had known before. 

With an excited flick of her tail, Alyna headed back to Starcademy, her new home.


	4. A Pirate's Life For Me

A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME

"Yahoo! Spring break at last!" Suni exclaimed.

She jumped up and down in excitement, dancing circles around her other friends. Atreus looked at her quizzically while Tethys ignored her joyous dance. Alyna, however, was confused.

"What is spring?" Alyna asked.

"It's a season on Earth," Tethys replied, still turning a blind eye to Suni's whoops of pleasure. "Centuries ago, students who went to school on Earth were given a week off from class during the spring. Nowadays, our break is more to let us catch up on work than to celebrate spring."

"I don't think the break was in celebration of spring," Atreus disagreed with a frown. 

"Excellent," Alyna said. "I am in need of a break."

"You guys got plans yet?" Suni asked breathlessly, plopping herself next to Atreus and giving him a sideways hug. "I'm going home to visit my parents."

"Me, too," Atreus replied. "Mom's been on my case since Uncle Radu's wedding. Apparently my joining an Andromedan rebellion hit a little too close to home."

Tethys smiled. "And you, Alyna?"

"I must patrol," she replied. "I have not been fulfilling my duties as a Guardian."

"You going back to Neptune, Tethys?" Suni asked. 

"Back to playing princess?" Atreus added with a smile.

Tethys shook her head. "No, Mother decided that it was too dangerous for me to return home. That fanatic, Nylph, was not the only one who wished the kingdoms to split, and Father thinks the rebels will try to have me murdered."

Suni gasped and Atreus's eyes hardened. Alyna appeared without emotion, although facial expressions were hardly common among the Guardians.

"So, you are remaining at Starcademy?" the Guardian asked.

"No," Tethys said with a breathless sigh. "Mother is sending me to the Spung court to practice being a princess with Elmira. It will be horribly boring."

"You want us to come with you?" Suni asked quietly, torn between her loyalty to her friend and her desire to visit her home.

"I would love it," Tethys said, "but you've been ranting about going home for weeks, and Arista would have my head if I kept Atreus away."

Suni smiled brightly. "I'll phone you every night, and we can talk during the day through our compupads. Will they reach from Starbase 7 all the way to the Spung Homeworld?"

"I doubt it," Atreus replied. "Not unless you tap into a few satellites along the way."

"That can be arranged," Alyna said with a half smile.

Suni feigned shock. "Why, Alyna! If I didn't know you better, I'd think you were trying to make a joke!"

"Planet-dweller humour is not without its moments," Alyna replied. "I fear seven months has been far too long to be among you, an it has rubbed off on me."

Tethys laughed and rose to her feet in a graceful, fluid motion. 

"Come on," she said. "Spring break doesn't start until tomorrow. Let's go see a holo-film before we have to pack."

"You haven't packed yet?" Atreus gasped. "First Alyna cracks a joke, then Tethys admits she hasn't filled her hundreds of suitcases with clothes. The school is going topsy turvey!"

Tethys playfully hit the Andromedan on the arm. "Enough wise cracks. Let's go see the show!"

*******

Radu, Warlord of the Spung Empire, finished adjusting the final ribbon on the large gift wrapped box. In two days, it would be his one year anniversary of marriage to Elmira. One glorious year! Radu could still hardly believe it had happened. He absently traced the scar that ran down the right side of his face as he looked at his gift. The whole Homeworld was in a celebratory mood, and he hoped Elmira would like his present as much as the gifts the people were showering her with.

He heard her footsteps coming down the hallway and he effortlessly picked up the large package. Glancing this way and that, he desperately searched for a hiding place. As the footsteps drew closer, he spied an old wardrobe that Elmira hardly ever used. In three quick steps, he was across the room. Quickly, he shoved the present in, his eyes barely registering what else lay in the wardrobe. As the door to the bedroom creaked open, Radu eased the wardrobe doors closed, jumped into a nearby chair, and picked up a compupad, trying to look relaxed. 

"There you are," Elmira said with a smile.

"Where else would I be?" Radu replied, rising to kiss his wife.

Elmira held him in her embrace longer than usual, and Radu immediately began to wonder if something was wrong. When his wife broke free, he looked down at her, but was immediately put at ease by her smile.

"Where else would you be?" Elmira repeated his question. "In the city, according to my spies."

"You're spying on me?" Radu gasped, more hurt than angry.

"Of course not," Elmira replied. "I have spies, but not for you specifically. They just tell me anything out of the ordinary that's happening in the city. Like you going out unescorted after court."

Radu frowned. He had caught the spy who had been trailing him easily, and had made the young Spung swear that he would not tell Elmira what he'd seen. Apparently, the spy had only kept half his word. Elmira knew Radu had been in town, but still had no idea why.

"I can't go out on my own?" Radu asked.

Elmira frowned prettily, the face designed to lower Radu's defenses. It almost worked, but Radu thought ahead to Elmira's delight at the surprise gift and held firm.

"Fine," Elmira huffed. "Don't tell me what you were doing. Just promise me that I won't be disappointed."

Radu drew his bride into a hug and kissed her tenderly. 

"You won't be disappointed," he whispered. "I promise."

*******

Later that evening, the shuttle transporting Tethys arrived. Radu and Elmira were there to greet her, and Radu watched in amused shock as half a dozen porters carried Tethys' luggage from the shuttle. Tethys shrugged as Radu looked at her with surprise in his eyes.

"A princess must be prepared for every occasion," Tethys replied simply, with a serious face.

Elmira laughed. "I agree, although I have a hard time talking my darling husband into coming with me to be fitted for a new gown."

Tethys' eyes lit up. "You want to have a fitting?"

Radu rolled his eyes. "I can see where this is going."

"First thing in the morning, dear," Elmira promised. "In two days, we're having a small gathering to celebrate your arrival and we must look our best."

"Tethys has been here dozens of times," Radu objected. "Why are we having a party?"

"Because this is the first time she's come as Her Royal Highness, Princess Tethys, Heir to the Double Throne of Neptune," Elmira told him. "That's why."

Radu mouthed a silent "oh" and watched as his wife and unofficial niece began to plan their gala event. They walked off without a backwards glance, deep in conversation about patterns and styles, so Radu took the opportunity to check on his present. He wondered if it was more than a coincidence that Tethys' party was on the same night as their anniversary. 

*******

The box was still safely stowed away in the wardrobe, and it appeared as if no one had touched it since Radu had shoved it away. Now that he had more time, he inspected his wrapping job again, wanting it to be absolutely perfect.

For the first time, a smaller box underneath the present caught his eye. It was small and black but fairly deep, and Radu gasped in spite of himself when he saw it. He knew this box; it was his storage trunk from his time as the rogue pirate DogStar. 

Hesitantly, the gift forgotten, Radu picked up the black box and brought it out of storage. He opened the lid, wincing as the hinges creaked, and peered inside. Dozens of treasures stared up at him.

Radu reached in and pulled out a rolled up poster. Carefully unrolling it, he saw his own scowling face appear with the word 'WANTED' printed around it in several languages. Putting the poster aside, Radu drew out a gold necklace with a large blue gem on it. He remembered how he had stolen the necklace from a damaged merchant vessel while his partner at the time, a bird-like fellow who called himself Nemesis, slaughtered the crew. They had planned to sell the necklace and its twin and split the money, but DogStar had taken off with the loot and left Nemesis to die on an isolated moon. 

Shuddering, Radu put the necklace back and lifted out another old paper. On it was half of a star map, the other half hidden somewhere by Nemesis along with the other necklace. The merchant had offered the map to the two pirates while pleading for his life, saying that it showed the location of a fabulous treasure. Nemesis had ripped it in two after killing the merchant and gave half to DogStar as an insurance policy. Nemesis had thought that as long as he had the other half of the map, DogStar would stay obedient. Radu couldn't help but smile at the thought of Nemesis cursing him as he abandoned his partner on the moon.

There was a knock at the door and Radu was snapped out of his reverie. Quickly, he shoved all his former treasures back into the box and put it back in the wardrobe. As an afterthought, he re-hid Elmira's present over top of it. The knock sounded again as Radu stood to answer it.

A page bowed sharply as Radu opened the door and held out an envelope. The page was a boy of about ten; not a Spung, but a Plutonian who had undoubtedly moved to the Spung Homeworld.

"What is this?" Radu asked, turning the envelope over. It was unmarked.

"Highness, the man at the gate bade me bring this to you," the page said.

"What man?" Radu demanded.

"Sir, I had never seen him before," the Plutonian squeaked. "He was tall and spoke our language with an odd accent. He wore a large cloak that covered his features."

"Thank you," Radu said, regarding the envelope more closely. "You've done your duty well."

The page smiled, bowed once more, and scampered down the hallway. Radu closed the door, his eyes never leaving the sealed envelope. He sat down on his bed and ripped it open. As he scanned the letter inside, his eyes went wide with shock.

"DogStar," Radu read aloud, although he was the only one in the room. "I see fate has smiled on you, old friend, but unfortunately the past has returned to haunt you. You know what I want and you better bring it to me. We have one last adventure to complete before you retire for good. You have three hours to meet me at these coordinates before I destroy all fate has brought you. Come alone and unarmed."

Radu let the letter drop from numb hands. He looked from the letter on the floor to the wardrobe which concealed his black box. Three hours! That was hardly enough time to prepare. How could he convince Elmira? He couldn't just leave her again, could he? Radu shook his head. Of course not. Radu moved mechanically to his desk and picked up a compupad. He quickly typed a message for Elmira, then reached into the wardrobe, drew out the black box, grabbed the letter, and left his room.

As the door slammed shut behind him, the compupad teetered on the corner of Radu's desk and fell. It hit the ground, jumped once in the air, and landed with a clatter half hidden underneath the desk.

*******

Alyna prowled the space around the Spung Homeworld. She had deduced from Tethys' hesitation about coming that the Neptunian required a friend for spring break, and Alyna had decided to 'drop by' and see if her presence was, indeed, required. 

She circled the floating city a few times, marveling at how it was designed. Not a planet, but not quite a space station, the Spung Homeworld was truly unique. Of course, several of the floating cities existed in the empire, but the Homeworld itself was a beautiful sight both from space and from within. 

Alyna reached into her many-pocketed cloak to contact the Spung Homeworld when a shuttle abruptly shot from the city. Curiousity overcoming her, Alyna glided closer to make out any markings on the ship. It was unmarked, but was a very old model of UPP shuttle - Alyna guessed twenty to twenty five years old. Gliding up beside the craft and easily matching its speed, she hailed the pilot. 

"Vessel, you are unfit for space travel," Alyna told the pilot. "Please return to the Homeworld."

"You must be Alyna," a male voice said.

The Guardian was taken aback. "I am. Who are you?"

"Radu," the pilot replied. 

Alyna smiled. "I have heard much about you, Warlord Radu of the Spung Empire. Where are you going in such an old ship?"

"I can't tell you," Radu said. "But I'll be fine. Please go to the city and tell my wife I love her. I'm worried my note won't explain everything."

"I cannot," Alyna said. "You may need me."

"Please, Alyna," Radu said. "I'm going somewhere very dangerous."

"All the more reason to bring an ally."

Radu sighed over the comlink. "Alyna, Elmira and Tethys will need you here. Trust me, something will happen and I would like you to be prepared."

Alyna bit her lower lip in thought - a planet-dweller's habit she picked up at Starcademy.

"Very well," Alyna said. "I will inform the Empress of your mission."

"Thank you," Radu said, obviously relieved. 

He cut the transmission and Alyna drifted away. She knew that wherever Radu was going, he would need her more than Elmira. The Empress could handle herself, and so Alyna took off after Radu's departing ship, making sure she was well out of sensor range.

*******

"Radu?" Elmira called.

Their bedroom lay deserted. Elmira stepped in hesitantly, wearing her new gown, wanting to get her husband's opinion. He was normally in their room at this time, going over dispatches and reports from all over the empire. Elmira turned a corner to face the study part of their room, expecting to see her husband hunched over a compupad deep in thought. 

All she saw was an empty desk.

Heading back to the door, she signaled for the guard at the end of the hall to join her. After a quick salute, the guard stood ready for her questions.

"Have you seen Lord Radu lately?" Elmira asked.

"Majesty, he left his room a few hours ago, when I first came on duty," the Spung guard replied. "I haven't seen him since."

"Do you know where he was going?" Elmira pressed.

The guard shook his head. "Sorry, Majesty. He didn't tell me and I didn't think to ask. He was carrying a letter and a black box, if that helps."

Elmira's eyes widened. _A black box?_ she thought. _It couldn't be He wouldn't, not again!_

"Thank you," Elmira said to the guard, turning back to her room.

She closed the door quietly behind her and marched over to the old, unused wardrobe. Flinging the doors open, she barely registered the large, wrapped present at the bottom, but looked instead for the black box that had once belonged to DogStar. Sure enough, it was missing.

No longer able to fight back her tears, Elmira threw herself on her bed and sobbed.

*******

Radu eased his ships to the coordinates specified on his letter and sat back to wait. He was a good five minute early, having avoided all the Spung patrol ships he himself had sent out. With nothing else to do, Radu sat back in his chair and began to think.

By now Elmira would have found his note. Will she send ships out to find him? Will Alyna be there to talk sense into her? Radu pictured his wife's beautiful face tear-streaked and it felt as if a knife had stabbed through his heart. He glanced over his shoulder at the black box which sat next to him and sighed. There was no other way. He had to end this part of his life now.

Another ship glided into sensor range and Radu's alarms went crazy. Looking out through his view screen, Radu saw the sleek, black hull of the Coronian light freighter. Not exactly the ship Radu had expected to see, but Nemesis was always one for making entrances.

The freighter hailed him, and Radu scowled. He knew he had to look threatening or else Nemesis would destroy him. With a shaky hand, Radu turned on his communications device.

"Well, well, your Majesty," a parrot-like voice squawked. "I'm glad you could work me into you busy schedule."

"Cut the crap, Nemesis," Radu snapped. "What do you want?"

"Now, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Nemesis cawed. "Why don't you come on board and we can discuss things face to face?"

"Not a chance," Radu replied, powering up his weapons and raising his shields.

"A bit trigger happy, DogStar?" Nemesis asked. "Too much time as the diplomat and not enough target practice?"

"What do you want?" Radu repeated. 

"You know what I want," Nemesis replied. "One last adventure for old times sake. Me and you go to find that treasure we should have stolen a long time ago."

"Why not just take my half of the map and go on your own?" Radu demanded. "I've given up this part of my life."

"And risk having the Spung Warlord set his dogs on me?" Nemesis said. "Not a chance. You're my insurance that no Spung will attack me."

"And if I refuse?" Radu dared.

Nemesis paused and Radu felt his heart leap into his throat. "If you refuse, your pretty wife and her pretty palace will be destroyed."

Radu bit his lip and sighed. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

As Radu's ship flew off after the freighter, Alyna switched off her communications monitor. She stared wide eyed after the retreating ships and pondered what to do. If this strange bird creature had put a bomb in the palace, Elmira should be warned. At the same time, it was her duty as a Guardian to protect space travelers like Radu. Hesitating only a second longer, Alyna sped off after Radu, knowing that Elmira would do well enough on her own.

*******

"Elmira?" Tethys said, pausing in the doorway.

Elmira sniffed and sat up on her bed, reaching over for a tissue. Tethys stood uncertainly at the door, fingering the lace of her new gown. Elmira wiped her eyes and smiled sadly at her guest. Tethys hesitantly walked toward the Spung Empress.

"What's wrong?" Tethys asked.

"Radu," Elmira snuffled. "He's gone."

"Gone?" Tethys repeated, sitting next to Elmira. "Where did he go?"

Elmira shrugged. "I have no idea. He took his box and left. He's probably out roaming the galaxy somewhere. I thought he had changed."

"He did change," Tethys said soothingly. "He'll be back. It must have been something very important for him to take off without telling you."

Elmira bit her lip and nodded. She took a deep breath and rose to her feet, her gown billowing out behind her. 

"I'm the Empress," Elmira said. "I'll just send out a few ships to bring him back. I'll contact Harlan and get him to send out — "

"Isn't that going a bit too far?" Tethys interrupted.

Elmira turned to face the Neptunian. "I'll do anything to get him back again."

Tethys bit her lip in thought. "Weren't you in the Air Strikers back at Starcademy?"

Elmira blinked in surprise, then a sly smile crept across her face.

*******

Radu finally met Nemesis face to face in a seedy bar at the edge of the Laxian system. Radu had changed from his Warlord uniform into the black, scruffy clothing he had worn as DogStar. His hair was tied loosely behind his head and he wore a blaster at his side. As he entered the bar, a part of his mind felt like he was coming home. Shaking his head in disgust at the thought, Radu made his way through the drunks to a small table at the back.

Nemesis looked up as Radu approached. He was a bird-like creature from the planet Coronis — like a giant, muscular, bad tempered chicken. His feathers were a dark blue and green and he had various weapons on his wings. Over the centuries, the Coronians had evolved to have an opposable digit at the end of their wings, like a thumb, which Nemesis used to pick up his beer. His face was scarred and misshapen, and he clicked his beak in greeting as Radu sat down.

"So," Nemesis said conversationally, "how did the little lady take your departure?"

In an instant, Radu had knocked the beer from his hands and pinned him by the throat against the wall. The other associates of the bar watched with interest, wondering if there would be another body to dispose of that night.

"Never talk about my wife," Radu snarled. "You keep this between you and me."

"Right, right," Nemesis chirped. Radu released him and he sunk back into his seat. The bar flies returned to their drinks. "A little touchy, aren't we, DogStar?"

Radu scowled at him as a young, pale barmaid brought him a drink. Radu took a gulp and swallowed hard, trying to ignore the horrible taste.

"What do you want?" Radu demanded.

"Remember when we killed that merchant and his crew?" Nemesis reminisced. "Those were some good times."

"The point," Radu said.

"That map and those necklaces we got," Nemesis said, leaning forward, "they lead to a treasure I want. We should have got it years ago, before you left me to die on that moon."

Radu shrugged and took another drink. "So, go get the treasure. What do you need me for?"

"We were a good team," Nemesis continued. "Me the brains and you the brawn. Your name still strikes fear in the hearts of most merchants. I need you to get me the treasure."

Radu eyed him suspiciously. "You need me to get the treasure? Why don't I just give you my map and necklace and be done with it?"

"You can't!" Nemesis squawked. "The necklace is yours, the stone bonded with you. Don't you think I've tried with others? There are hundreds of copies of this map floating around, but only two necklaces who bond with their owners."

Radu took another drink, drawing out the wait. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stared into Nemesis' beady eyes.

"Fine. One last time. You get the treasure, I get peace. Got it?"

Nemesis clacked his beak. "Got it."

From the shadows of the bar, cloaked in invisibility, Alyna shook her head in dismay.

*******

Radu and Nemesis left in Radu's twenty-five year old ship, the most famous pirate ship in the galaxy. They had placed both halves of the ripped map together and Nemesis was studying it while Radu flew. Neither spoke for hours, until Radu broke the silence.

"What planet does that map lead to?" Radu asked.

"It's not actually a planet," Nemesis said. "It was a planet at one point, but now it's just a mass of asteroids floating around a big rock."

"So the treasure is a rock?" Radu frowned. "If you're trying to tell me you dragged me away from my home for an asteroid, I'll kill you right now."

"Keep your pants on," Nemesis cawed. "It's not a rock, it's what's on the rock that this map is for. When the planet was a planet, it had a temple on it. The temple stayed intact when the planet fell to pieces. Our treasure is in there."

Radu's frown deepened. How could a building stay together when an entire planet crumbled? He knew there was something more Nemesis was not sharing. 

*******

Alyna soared after Radu's ship, frantically trying to stay out of sensor range but keeping the ship in sight. She had placed a homing device on the ship when they had docked at the bar, but it had a very limited range. At the speed Radu was flying, she could barely keep up.

Teleporting short distances, Alyna found herself making fairly good time. She was so caught up in the chase that she didn't even notice when the ship left UPP space.

_Halt and identify yourself_, a voice sounded in her head.

Alyna slowed but did not stop. She cursed herself for not following the proper protocol when entering another Guardian's space. From the corner of her eye, Alyna could make out a young male with a green tail, long red hair, and blue skin gliding parallel with her.

_Forgive me for intruding,_ Alyna said without stopping, _but I must follow this ship._

_Why?_ the young Guardian asked. He turned his head and got a good look at Alyna. _You! You are the planet-dweller!_

_Not entirely_, Alyna replied, somewhat angered at his comment. _I am learning about planet-dwellers so we might better understand them. Anyway, the pilot of this ship is in danger and will require my assistance._

How can you be certain? Are there not others in your sector which will require your assistance? the Guardian asked. _Why is this one so special?_

His is an important person to my friends, Alyna replied, knowing the Guardian would not understand. _Please allow me to continue my pursuit and notify the other sectors that I may pass through unannounced._

The male frowned. _Very well, but what is so important to these planet-dwellers that they would risk their lives in such an unworthy craft?_

They seek the planet which is no more, Alyna replied. _They possess two necklaces which will guide them to a treasure in a temple._

The planet which is no more? the male gasped. _You cannot go to this place! It is sacred!_

Sacred? Alyna asked. 

_When the planet was destroyed, the Guardians built the temple there. We were given the Star of the Galaxy to protect, and we placed it in the temple. No planet-dweller may enter it and live!_ he said.

_What of the necklaces?_ Alyna asked.

_The necklaces are the keys to the Two Gates_, he replied. _The Gate of Fire and the Gate of Ice. The Star of the Galaxy lies after them. You must prevent these planet-dwellers from reaching the Star!_

Why? What's so special about the Star? 

The male narrowed his eyes at her. _I have said too much already. If you truly value these planet-dwellers, you will heed my warning. I will notify the others of your foolishness._

Without another word, the green tailed male vanished from view. Alyna hurried to catch up with Radu, her mind spinning over all the male had told her. She had never head of the Star of the Galaxy, nor had her grandfather told her about it. What was it that the Guardians were sworn to protect, yet knew nothing about?

*******

Elmira turned and looked at her reflection in the three-way mirror. She wore a tight fitting black cat suit, with various weapons strapped to her waist and legs. Her long red hair was tied behind her head in a tight braid that trailed down her back. She looked every inch the space pirate, and was quite pleased with her transformation.

The door to her room slid open and Tethys' reflection appeared next to her own. The Neptunian was wearing a similar outfit, although she kept her long green hair flowing loosely. She had a single blaster at her belt and wore black gloves on her hands. She smiled at Elmira.

"Ready?" Tethys asked with a grin.

Elmira smiled back. "Definitely. If Radu can do this, so can I. The Lesser Lords will be able to handle the government for a while."

"How will we find him?" Tethys asked.

"Reputation," Elmira answered. "The most feared space pirate couldn't fly across the galaxy without someone seeing him. Don't worry, this shouldn't take too long."

Tethys nodded. "At least my spring break isn't boring."

Elmira grabbed a black bag from her bed and double-checked the charge on her blaster. With a tight-lipped nod, she and Tethys left the bedroom for the docking bay. In no time, they were sailing through space in hot pursuit of Radu.

*******

"Are you sure you're reading that thing right?" Radu snarled.

Meteors bombarded the small ship, causing consoles to spit sparks at the two pirates. Nemesis cawed loudly in surprise as his feathers ignited, but he managed to put them out. Radu gave a short laugh as his partner' flapped around the small cabin with his wing on fire, then returned to the task of piloting the ship.

"Of course this is right," Nemesis squawked. "This meteor field just isn't on the map, that's all."

"Couldn't we go around it?" Radu yelled, swerving wildly to avoid a large rock.

"That would take too long," Nemesis replied. "According to your sensors, this field is long, but narrow. Keep flying."

Radu grumbled under his breath and narrowly missed some more meteors. Their shields were failing and it was only a matter of time before they would be space dust.

From a nearby asteroid, Alyna watched the small ship struggle. She longed to go to their aid, but if Radu saw her with them, he would know that she had not warned Elmira about his disappearance. She bit her lip again and flicked a few rocks out of the ship's path. Anything more and Radu would become suspicious. The next few minutes were nerve wracking for the young Guardian until the aged ship finally broke free of the meteors and sailed back into open space. Pausing only for a few moments, Alyna left the field in hot pursuit.

*******

Elmira walked calmly into the bar at the edge of the Laxian system. She waited for a split second at the doorway, her eyes taking in the assorted characters. Tethys stood behind her, trying to look cool and collected as the dozens of space pirates and smugglers eyed her and the empress up and down. With a jerk of her head, Elmira motioned for Tethys to follow her to a table.

"What'll it be, gorgeous?" the unshaved — and unwashed — barkeep asked.

"Beer," Elmira replied sharply, "and information."

"That'll cost you, doll," a tall and bulky Laxian told her, rising to his feet from a nearby table. "How are you gonna pay?"

He walked toward her suggestively, the multicoloured fibers on his head vibrating eagerly. Elmira smiled and waited until he was within reach before drawing her blaster and sticking it in his stomach.

"I'm not familiar with your species," Elmira said quietly to him, "but I assume a blaster bolt in this area would do damage."

The Laxian's colleagues at the table laughed as he backed off. Tethys sat nervously at the table, impressed with the empress. The barkeep placed a dirty mug of watered down beer in front of her, and she held back the disgusted face as she sipped it.

"We're looking for a pirate," Elmira announced. "Perhaps you've heard of him. Goes by the name of DogStar."

The bar quieted down considerably at the mention of that name. Tethys leaned back in her chair, trying to relax but keeping an eye on the weapons of those around them.

"What do you want with DogStar?" the Laxian asked from his seat.

"We're bounty hunters," Elmira replied, motioning with her head to Tethys. "Heard there's a pretty good price for his head in several systems."

"I thought I knew every hunter in the business," an elderly semi-humanoid creature said from the back corner. "I don't know you, sweet cheeks."

"The name is Mira," the empress said. "My partner, Aqua. We're recently from the Fallorian system, but heard the money is better down here. Now, have you seen DogStar or do I have to get ugly?"

"He was here," the barkeep said. "A few hours ago, maybe. Had a Coronian with him, a particularly nasty one, too. Heard they was partners years ago."

"Where were they heading?" Tethys spoke up, putting an edge in her voice to sound tough.

The barkeep shrugged. "They headed out of UPP space, talked about a map and necklaces of some sort. DogStar looked near ready to kill the bird."

Elmira nodded and tossed a coin at the barkeep to pay for the drinks. Without looking back, she headed out of the bar. Tethys hurried to her feet and walked quickly to catch up, eager to be free of the foul smelling place.

Back in Elmira's ship, Tethys washed her hands and face furiously. Elmira smiled at the princess and began to lay in a course.

"Where are we going?" Tethys asked.

"After him," Elmira replied. "They're in Radu's ship and it's so old, it's leaking ions all over the place. As long as they don't fly too close to any stars, we should be able to follow it."

Tethys grinned and sat next to Elmira at the helm. Soon, the two royal pirates were heading out of UPP territory and into the unknown.

*******

"You were right," Tethys remarked after several hours of flying through foreign space. "It's like Radu left us footprints to follow."

Elmira nodded and returned to her scans. The ion trail of the old UPP shuttle made infamous by DogStar was as clear as the stars in space. Elmira had left the piloting to Tethys, who had insisted on practicing, and now monitored the space around them. A ship had been following them for some time, but had made no aggressive motions. Elmira frowned as her most recent scans showed the ship was still there.

"Do you think he did it on purpose?" Tethys asked. "Maybe he knew you would follow, so he —"

The princess was cut off as the ship rocked. Lights began to flash and alarms screamed. Elmira raised the limited shields of the shuttle and searched for what hit them. Her stomach sank when she realized what it was.

"There's a ship behind us," the empress reported. "It's closing in fast and firing."

"Our shields can't hold against it," Tethys said frantically. "What do we do?"

"Return fire," Elmira said coolly.

"We'll destroy them!" Tethys protested.

"Better them than us," Elmira replied. "Fire!"

Tethys did as she was told. They waited for impact. "No damage," the Neptunian reported.

The enemy ship fired back at them. Elmira was flung forward, but caught herself on the edge of her console and pulled herself back into her seat. 

"Weapons down," Tethys reported. "Shields failing."

The enemy vessel charged blasters and prepared to end the battle. Elmira and Tethys exchanged worried looks and calmed themselves, ready for the end. 

"They've fired," Elmira reported.

The impact never came. Both Elmira and Tethys turned to the viewscreen. The enemy ship was there, and so was something else. The ship fired again, but the other object moved the laser fire clear.

"It's a Guardian," Tethys said.

The enemy vessel was struck by its own fire and retreated. The Guardian moved itself closer to Elmira's ship. As it appeared on the view screen, Tethys could see it was a male of the species, with a green tail, red hair, and blue fur covered skin. It hailed them.

"Your vessel is damaged," the Guardian said. "Return to UPP space for repairs."

"We can't," Elmira replied. "We're searching for someone. Thank you for your assistance, but we must keep moving."

"That is not advisable," the Guardian said.

"Have you seen an old UPP craft come through here?" Tethys spoke up.

The Guardian seemed taken aback. "I have. You need not concern yourself. It was being pursued by another like myself. The vessel is in good hands."

"Another Guardian?" Elmira repeated.

"Alyna?" Tethys said at the same time.

"You must not follow," the Guardian said. "They are heading for the planet which is no more. Planet-dwellers are forbidden from going there."

"Then we'll have to catch up with them before they reach there," Elmira decided. "Any chance of us getting some help with repairs? Our weapons and shields are down."

The Guardian dipped his head. "I will assist, as is my duty."

*******

Radu and Nemesis stopped at an asteroid-side space bar for supplies and information. Scowling, Radu assumed his DogStar persona and was surprised at how many people remembered him. Apparently, the news of his ascension to the Spung throne had not reached this far into space.

"Get the supplies," Nemesis cawed. "I'll see to the ship."

"She's my ship," Radu growled.

"But I can't lift the supplies," Nemesis replied. "Remember? My brains, your brawn."

Radu gave his partner a long, withering look before turning to the bar. Nemesis waited until he was inside before returning to the ship. It didn't take long for him to find Alyna's tracking device.

"This isn't Spung technology," Nemesis remarked to himself. "I wonder what tricks old DogStar is up to."

He tossed the tracking device aside and continued to inspect the ship. Far above him, cloaked in invisibility, Alyna watched with interest.

*******

Radu loaded the supplies onto the ship and wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. He turned around and jumped in surprise. Standing behind him was a young girl with golden eyes and blue hair, wrapped in a gold and blue cloak.

"You must be Alyna," Radu said quietly.

The girl dipped her head. "Your partner is not to be trusted."

"I know that," Radu replied. "I thought I asked you to stay with Elmira and Tethys."

"I believed that yours would be the greater need for my talents," Alyna replied. "Empress Elmira and Tethys are resourceful."

Radu sighed. "If you're going to follow me, stay out of sight. I don't want Nemesis to know about you."

"I must warn you about — " Alyna began. 

Her eyes suddenly widened and she teleported away into space. A split second later, Nemesis walked from around the ship.

"She's ready to go," the Coronian said, slapping the hull.

"Great," Radu said roughly. "Let's get this over with."

*******

Radu piloted the ship, keeping one eye on space for signs of Alyna and the other eye on Nemesis. The bird creature was being strangely silent, his eyes focused on the sensor readings instead of on Radu. He wasn't even fawning over the map, or staring affectionately at his necklace. Something was amiss.

"I've read some Earth folklore," Nemesis said, cutting through the silence. "Fascinating stuff."

"Enough with the small talk," Radu snapped.

"They have this strange obsession with things that are half human and half something else," Nemesis continued, ignoring his partner. "A mermaid, for example, is half human and half fish."

Radu had an unsettling feeling in his stomach, but kept his features hard. "Are you giving me a literature lesson or something?"

"These mermaids guided ships on the Earth seas," Nemesis continued.

Suddenly, Radu lost control of the ship. He looked back at Nemesis as the Coronian altered the ships course, heading for a small star. He increased the speed so they would be incinerated in moments.

"Are you insane?" Radu yelled.

Nemesis didn't reply. Abruptly, the ship began to slow and alter course away from the star. Nemesis stared greedily out the view screen.

"Bingo," he said, pushing a button on his console.

A shield bubble appeared off of the ship, a small fluctuation originally designed to protect other vessels from attack. This time, however, it functioned like a net. Alyna was too busy pulling the ship away from the star to notice the shield until it was too late.

"Half fish," Nemesis repeated, settling back into his seat. "Just as easily caught."

"Release her," Radu insisted. "Our deal was for the treasure, not hostages."

"Deals change, DogStar," Nemesis said coldly. "Remember our old deal? I know it didn't include leaving me on that moon."

Radu watched helplessly as Alyna tried to escape the shield bubble. Nemesis cawed a laugh.

"Now I have some insurance," the bird said. "No more double crosses, DogStar. I learned my lesson once."

*******

The time it took to repair the ship was all the time Elmira needed to befriend the male Guardian. As he worked to fix their ship, he told them about the planet which is no more, and how to reach it before Radu.

"You are kind planet-dwellers," he told them as they prepared to leave. "Stop your friends from reaching that place and then destroy all knowledge of it. It is a sacred place."

Without another word, he sped off. Elmira looked to Tethys and smiled.

"Ready for a hyper jump?" she asked.

The princess nodded and the small ship leapt ahead.

*******

"There it is," Nemesis said quietly.

The ship slowed and he activated the viewscreen. It showed a dying star with debris from what may have been a planet at one point floating in orbit around it. The rocks were all sizes, but one seemed larger than the others. Nemesis carefully guided the ship toward it and, as they drew closer, Radu could make out a structure.

The building was as large as the rock on which it stood. There was no room around it for vegetation or even for the ship to land. It was the strangest and most beautiful thing Radu had ever seen. On the seat beside him, his necklace began to glow.

_Leave! Now!_ a voice in his head spoke urgently.

_Alyna?_ Radu thought back.

_I know this place now. It is from Guardian lore. No planet-dweller may walk though its gates and survive_, Alyna warned.

"Shall we?" Nemesis asked.

The warning in Radu's mind faded as he stared at the building. Something inside it seemed to call to him and he longed with all his being to join it.

"Yeah," he said, picking up his necklace. "Let's go." He paused for a second. "What about the girl?"

"We'll bring her with us," Nemesis replied. "Just to make sure there's no funny business."

*******

Elmira and Tethys slid easily out of hyperspace and beheld the same sight as Radu. They stared breathlessly at the temple, admiring its architecture as well as the light inside. It took them several minutes before Tethys realized another ship was in the area.

"It's Radu," she said. "He's already in the building."

"I guess we'll have to go after him," Elmira said, her eyes never leaving the temple. "Bring us as close as you can and extend a docking bridge."

Tethys nodded and did as she was told. She was as eager as Elmira to see what the light was.

*******

Alyna followed behind Radu glumly. The bird creature Nemesis walked behind her with a blaster pointed at her back. He had already made it clear that if she teleported, Radu would be shot in her place. Alyna didn't understand why he was so cautious. She was not about to abandon her friends' uncle to the temple.

Radu moved trance-like down the narrow hallway. The floors and walls were brown and were polished until they shone. On the ceiling were thousands of dangling crystals, catching the light of the object within and refracting it through the temple. They moved silently for some time until the hallway opened into a small chamber. It was empty, save for a single door covered in designs. Radu pushed it, but it refused to move. He shoved harder without luck.

"Well, what now, brains?" he asked, calling back to Nemesis.

The Coronian moved forward to inspect the door. He searched for hinges or a trigger of some sort that would open it, but found none. He sighed and instead turned his attention to the strange pictographic writings that covered the door from ceiling to floor.

Alyna was also studying the writings, her eyes wide and moving rapidly, absorbing the information written in her language. The Guardians rarely wrote, but the knowledge of reading it was inherent in all of them. There was no Guardian alive who would not be able to read the warnings on the door.

Radu noticed her and tapped Nemesis on the back. "She knows how to read it."

Alyna blinked in surprise. Why had Radu told Nemesis what she was doing?

"Open the door," Nemesis ordered.

"I cannot," Alyna replied. "It would not be in my nature to lead you to your deaths."

"How can something that calls to us so sweetly be the cause of our deaths?" Radu demanded.

Alyna was taken aback once more. "Calls? You can hear it?"

Radu nodded and licked his lips. His eyes were wide and seemed to be tinted with madness. "It's asking for me by name. It wants me to go in there."

Alyna turned back to the door, reading more of the story which was presented there. Nemesis noticed her stalling and leveled his blaster at her head.

"Open it!" he shouted.

"You don't understand," Alyna replied. "You are not thinking clearly."

Nemesis narrowed his eyes and squeezed the trigger. Alyna faced her death calmly, knowing that without her they would never open the door and reach their treasure. 

"Stop it!" a voice shouted from the entrance to the room.

Another blaster bolt shot through the air and hit Nemesis in the wing. With an angry squawk, his own shot went off balance and struck the wall behind Alyna's head. All three people turned to see the newcomers.

"Tethys!" Alyna exclaimed.

"Elmira?" Radu questioned.

The empress flew into her husband's arms and kissed him. Radu returned the affection half-heartedly, his mind still focused on the object calling to him from behind the closed door.

"Wonderful reunion," Nemesis said, pointing his retrieved blaster at Tethys. "Now, girlie, open the door."

Alyna bit her lip. "Very well."

She walked up to the door and pressed a sequence of pictographs. As she stepped back, the door slid open to reveal another hallway. All four planet-dwellers stared down the hallway. Tethys shivered.

"Is it colder in here?" she asked.

"Pass the Ice, pass the Fire," Alyna intoned. "You will soon see what you desire. People of planets near and far cannot resist the galaxy's Star."

Elmira looked at the Guardian as her husband broke free from her embrace and began to walk down the hall. "What does that mean?" the empress asked.

Alyna shook her head sadly. "You are all in great peril."

Nemesis grabbed Alyna by the arm and pulled her down the hallway. The necklace around his neck glowed faintly.

"Come on, girlie," he cawed. "You're my ticket out of here."

Elmira and Tethys had no choice but to follow. From the other end of the hallway, a sweet voice reached their ears.

*******

They moved in silence. Alyna watched the faces of the planet-dwellers carefully. It was not long before both Elmira and Tethys were under the Star's spell. Nothing Alyna said could break the Star's hold. 

Soon, the five of them arrived at a sheet of solid ice. It was clear and the hallway could be seen continuing past it, but the ice itself was impenetrable.

"She says pass the ice' like it was an ice cube," Nemesis groaned.

Radu walked up to the wall of ice and knocked. It echoed through the hallway but did no damage to the ice itself. He shrugged. Nemesis turned to Alyna, pointing his blaster at her chest.

"Okay, how do we pass it?" he demanded.

"Please," Alyna begged, "for your own safety, turn back."

"Don't make me shoot you," Nemesis warned.

Alyna lowered her head. "Use the gems. In the necklaces."

"That's better," Nemesis said.

He walked up to the sheet of ice and held up his gem. The blue stone began to glow intensely and heat radiated from it. In no time, a hole large enough to step through was formed in the ice. 

"Get through," Nemesis cawed.

Radu ushered Elmira and Tethys through first, then he followed. Alyna passed through reluctantly and Nemesis dove through the hole as it slowly closed behind him. The wall of ice was rebuilt, but they were on the other side.

Tethys fanned herself with one hand. "Now it's warm."

"Wait," Nemesis said, "let me guess. Gate of Fire?"

Alyna nodded and the Coronian brushed past her to take the lead.

*******

The Gate of Fire was similar to the Gate of Ice, only this time it was an impenetrable wall of fire. Confidently, Nemesis approached it and held out his necklace. He waited, but nothing happened.

"What the heck?" he squawked. "Is it out of batteries or something?"

The song of the Star was so strong that even Alyna could hear it. The planet-dwellers nearly rushed through the fire itself to get at the star. As Alyna held Tethys back, she had no choice but to get them through.

"Radu," she called. "Your necklace."

The Andromedan nodded and held up his gem. The fire lowered until they were able to leap over it. Nemesis went first, followed by Alyna, Tethys, Elmira, and Radu. The final Gate having been passed, the five planet-dwellers and one Guardian stared at their prize.

"The Star of the Galaxy," Alyna said softly.

The Star hovered in the centre of a massive silver chamber with round walls. A narrow ledge worked its way around the chamber and a single bridge lead to the Star, but it floated above a black pit.

"That's no treasure," Radu said.

"It's the best treasure," Nemesis disagreed. "With this, I could buy anything! Who wouldn't want to own such beauty?"

The Coronian took a few steps toward the Star, then paused as if thinking something over. He turned and pointed his blaster at Radu.

"Sorry," he said. "This partnership is over."

He fired his blaster. Alyna made a sweeping motion with her arms and diverted the bolt away from Radu as he ducked to the other side.

"He can't take it!" Tethys protested. "I want it!"

"No!" Alyna exclaimed, placing herself at the foot of the bridge. 

Tethys headed toward her and Alyna pushed her aside by manipulating the air currents. Behind her, Nemesis was almost at the Star.

"You can't let him take it," Elmira shouted. "He's a pirate! A Star like that belongs in an empire!"

"Stay back," Alyna warned, pushing Elmira as well. She forced the limited air in the room to keep her friends well back from the Star.

Nemesis ignored the small fight which occurred behind him. He was mesmerized by the star and was unable to see or think of anything else. He reached the edge of the bridge and stretched out one of his wings. The Star responded by growing bigger, expanding until it almost touched his outspread feathers.

Alyna turned her head to see the star's growth. "Get out! Back into the hall!" she shouted.

Using all her energy, she moved the air in a huge gust to blow her friends into the hall. Behind them, the Star continued to expand, growing until it engulfed Nemesis completely, incinerating him.

Radu, Elmira, and Tethys shook their head, as if awakening from a dream. They could remember everything that had happened since arriving at the Temple, but could not account for their actions. The Star had stopped trying to draw them to it, having consumed Nemesis.

"It's still growing," Radu exclaimed, holding Elmira close.

"Alyna!" Tethys shouted.

The Guardian was standing at the foot of the bridge, watching the Star grow. She held up her arms, palms forward, as if commanding the star to stop. Surprisingly, it did. She stared at it for a few moments and it began to shrink, cowed at being caught misbehaving. Alyna remained motionless until the Star was its natural size and then she turned to her friends.

"We must leave. Now," she said.

Taking Radu's hand and Tethys' and motioning for Elmira to hold onto her husband, she teleported all of them to Elmira's waiting ship.

*******

The flight home was full of questions, answers, and apologies. Tethys flew Elmira's ship after they decided to leave DogStar's infamous pirate ship at the planet which is no more. Elmira and Radu spent the majority of the trip in the back, privately making and accepting apologies.

"What was that?" Tethys asked.

Alyna's form appeared on the view screen. She flew beside the ship, easily matching its speed.

"That was the Star of the Galaxy," Alyna replied. "It was the first star ever created in the universe."

Tethys raised her eyebrows. "I'm impressed."

"From it, all other stars were born," Alyna continued, "so it has a natural desire to reproduce. It needs nourishment to do so, so it consumes anything that reaches it."

Tethys eyed the viewscreen suspiciously. "How do you know so much about it?"

"I did not, until I read it on the door," Alyna said. "The Guardians created the Temple to house the Star and kept the location secret and well guarded. As a result of eons of guarding, we are able to converse with it and control it somewhat."

"If the location is so secret," Tethys mused, "where did the map come from?"

"I do not know," Alyna replied. "But I have destroyed the necklaces which allowed people to pass the Gates. The Star will not be disturbed again."

*******

Spring break was nearly over when the ball finally took place. The one year anniversary of Radu and Elmira was a little late, but for a good cause. Jokes were made about the groom running away from the anniversary instead of the wedding, and a good time was had by all.

Alyna stood quietly in one corner, watching the festivities. She did not like crowds, but had agreed to attend the ball at Elmira's insistence. She needed to learn about alien cultures, after all. Tethys was the centre of attention in her sea green gown which accented her skin tone and hair beautifully. Elmira and Radu sat on their thrones for most of the evening, deep in conversation.

"One thing I haven't figured out yet," Radu said to his wife, "is how Nemesis got off that moon. It's not like someone would just swing by."

"One thing I haven't figured out yet," Elmira said, "is why you haven't given me my present yet!"

Radu blushed. "It's a private gift, dear."

"Then let's go to our room for a few minutes and you can give it to me there," Elmira said enthusiastically, taking her husband's hand.

Radu smiled and allowed himself to be led away. The party continued without them, although numerous people noticed their absence.

*******

In the bedroom, Radu took out the large present from the wardrobe. Elmira sat on the bed and clapped her hands excitedly as Radu walked across the room with the gift in his hands.

"I hope you like it," he said. "I had it specially ordered for you."

Elmira lifted the lid off the box and peered inside. Her face fell. "It's a rock."

"Not a rock," Radu insisted, taking the rock out of the box. "It's an egg. A gurkle egg."

"You got me a gurkle for our anniversary?" Elmira asked.

Radu blushed and looked upset. "I thought you might like a pet. Arista sent it from New Andromeda where they're breeding them as house pets. If you don't like it — "

Elmira silenced him with a kiss. "I love it. I've always wanted a pet. How long before it hatches?"

As if in response to her question, the egg began to shake. Radu smiled up at his wife.

"Not long, I think," he replied.


	5. Dimension Dilemma

DIMENSION DILEMMA

Suni made a face and allowed the yellowish goop to slip from her spoon back to her plate. It landed with a wet thwack and sent small yellow splatters across the table. Tethys raised her eyes to her friend and wiped a droplet of the goop from her hand. She did not look impressed.

"Sorry," Suni muttered. "What are you eating?"

"Salad," Tethys replied, daintily spearing some purple leaves with her fork.

"How about you?" Suni asked, turning to Atreus with pleading eyes. "It looks good, anyway."

Her Andromedan friend rolled his eyes in exasperation. "If you can't eat your food, talk to the chef," Atreus said. "He's supposed to give you something you can eat."

"I know," Suni sighed. "I can eat it, but it tastes like a Martian lava flow."

Tethys giggled. "I thought you liked it hot. Part of your Mercurian heritage."

"Yeah, like complaining is the part of you from Uranus," Atreus added.

"Very funny," Suni said, moving her goop around some more. "Both of you are so witty first thing in the morning."

Tethys raised her eyes to the large clock over the main doors of the cafeteria. The whole room was filled with half-asleep cadets preparing to start their day. The Neptunian watched the seconds tick away.

"Three two one" Tethys counted.

As soon as the word left her lips, a figure materialized at the edge of the table. She folded back her black and gold checked cloak to reveal a Starcademy cadets uniform underneath.

"It is precisely 0825," Alyna reported. "Time to go to class, Atreus."

Suni smiled into her goop. Alyna was very punctual when it came to class and Atreus happened to share his first class of the day with her. 

"I'm not done yet," Atreus said. "Give me another minute or two."

Alyna sat down next to Tethys, across from Atreus, and dipped her head in acknowledgement. Atreus began to shovel his food into his mouth more quickly.

"I do not understand why planet-dwellers must absorb their nutrient internally," Alyna commented, watching Atreus eat.

"To each his own," Suni replied, flicking some goop at the Guardian.

Alyna brushed the goop away mid-air with a wave of her hand. The yellow food instead splattered harmlessly on the table near Atreus' elbow.

"Hey, I'm trying to eat," Atreus objected.

"And you must try harder or we will be late," Alyna said.

Suni laughed. "Your sense of humour is developing nicely, Alyna. I think we've been a good influence on you these past months."

The Guardian smiled as Atreus put a last spoonful of food into his mouth and stood.

"Ready," he said through the mouthful. 

Tethys wrinkled her nose in distaste and rose as well. She had Spatial Botany first period, a class her mother had begun at Starcademy and one she knew better than the teacher. Suni had Diplomatic Relations, her favourite class, and Alyna and Atreus were off to study Alien Cultures.

"See you guys at Study Hall," Suni called down the corridor as her friends separated to go to class.

Atreus waved back at her and Tethys nodded. When they were all out of sight, Suni joined the masses of cadets to her own class.

*****

Harlan spun around in his chair, a broad smile on his face. He permitted a soft "whee" to escape his lips as he spun himself faster and faster. The room around him passed in flashes; the door, his desk, his viewscreen, the window, the door, his desk, his viewscreen, the window

A flashing caught his attention and he held out his hand to stop the chair. He caught the edge of his desk and sat still for a moment as his head spun one final time around the room. He hoped no one had seen his momentary act of childishness. Even an Admiral needs a break now and then. The flash continued, coming from his viewscreen and he realized he had an incoming call. Adjusting his jacket and clearing his throat, he turn the machine on.

"Admiral Band," he said.

"Harlan!" Catalina said, appearing on the screen. Her expression was one of fear and her eyes moved constantly, checking the area beyond the viewscreen.

"Cat? What's wrong?" Harlan asked.

"It's chaos!" Catalina said. "The Yensidians are nearly in revolt! The Traders are angry with the UPP for some reason."

"Calm down," Harlan told his frantic friend. "I'll organize a delegation to –"

"There's no time!" Catalina interrupted. "The Council is choosing sides as we speak. If the Traders get their way, who knows what will happen to the UPP merchants here on Yensid. We need some help fast."

Harlan put his hand to his chin in thought. "All my top diplomats are out on peace missions, Cat. It will take weeks for them to get back here."

"I don't know how long I can keep them out of the Council," Catalina sighed. 

"There is one diplomat I could call," Harlan mused, "but I don't know if you'd approve."

"Anyone," Cat pleaded, "as long as they can negotiate."

*****

"Yahoo!" Suni exclaimed happily, waving her compupad in the air. "Time out of school and extra credit! Fabulous!"

Atreus and Tethys looked less than thrilled at their own compupads. Alyna, as usual, was expressionless. The four friends had been given an assignment in Yensid and had been specially chosen by Admiral Band for the job. Suni, who was earning the highest mark in Diplomatic Relations history, thought it was the ideal assignment. For Atreus, who was nearly failing the course, the idea of spending that much time on Yensidian negotiations was about as much fun as watching a black hole expand.

"I am curious," Alyna admitted, glancing over the assignment again. "I have never left this dimension. Will I be able to leave the planet?"

"Probably not," Tethys told her. "The Yensidians like exploring dimensions more than space. Not many ships leave the ground."

Alyna frowned. "I will have to consult with the Guardian Council before I depart. They may disapprove of me abandoning my sector. I must also bring a suitable ration of nutritional supplements. Excuse me."

Without waiting for a response, Alyna vanished from the biosphere where the friends met during their free time. Tethys blinked at the empty space next to her that had just been her friend. With an elegant sigh, she turned her attention back to Suni and Atreus.

"We're leaving tomorrow morning," Suni was saying. "At 0800 we'll be in Yensid with Aunt Catalina, handling probably the biggest diplomatic negotiations since the Spung joined the UPP! We'll all be famous!"

"We're already famous," Tethys pointed out. "Crown Princess of Neptune? First Andromedan raised by natural parents? Only known Mercurian-Uranusian crossbreed? A Guardian?"

Suni rolled her eyes. "All right. We'll be famouser."

Atreus winced. "I don't think that's a word."

"Whatever," Suni exclaimed. "Come on, let's go pack!"

*****

The next morning, bright and early, Atreus, Suni, and Tethys boarded the transport ship heading for the UPP Headquarters, where they would pass through the portal to Yensid. Not many portals were in existence in the UPP – perhaps a dozen or so all in control of the UPP. The Yensidians had been reluctant trade partners to begin with, and it had taken most of Catalina's career to persuade them that the UPP would not invade their dimension. All merchants who traded with Yensid passed through the UPP and smuggling was virtually nonexistent. The Yensidians seemed to dislike purchasing black market goods and the smugglers found their efforts better used elsewhere in the galaxy. 

Admiral Harlan Band stood next to the shimmering pink portal, his hands behind his back and his expression stern. There were other officials with him, some holding compupads, others running errands, but the admiral ignored them all. His attention was focused on the three cadets standing in their dress uniforms before him. The trio saluted smartly and waited for their commander to speak. Harlan's eyes glanced around the air lock where they stood, but he said nothing.

"Where is the fourth cadet?" he finally asked.

Suni looked embarrassed. "She was not on the transport with us, sir!"

"She required the permission of her people before leaving the dimension, sir," Tethys added. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

Harlan nodded gruffly and looked at his watch. He sighed. 

"Ambassador Catalina is expecting you any moment," he said. "I would not like to make you three late. Perhaps Cadet Alyna's request was denied."

He motioned for the three cadets to step forward. As Suni moved to enter the portal, a fourth figure appeared behind Tethys. Alyna dipped her head in greeting and apology. She wore the jacket of a Starcademy cadet and tight fitting purplish-blue pants. Her black and gold cape hung loosely from her shoulders. 

"I am sorry, Admiral Band. The Council demanded I wait until my replacement arrived before departing this dimension. I could not neglect my duty."

Harlan nodded in understanding, then paused. "Replacement?"

"Every sector of space must be maintained, Admiral," Alyna told him. "I did not know how long I would be away, therefore another guardian was sent to assume my duties temporarily."

Harlan sighed and shrugged slightly. "All right. Step through the portal, cadets. Ambassador Catalina is waiting."

Suni and Atreus passed through first. Tethys hesitated a moment, suppressing a shudder, before closing her eyes and stepping through. Alyna watched them curiously, before wrapping her cloak tightly around her body and stepping through. 

She found the experience very unusual. She could faintly see Tethys in front of her, and she stepped without caution after her friend. A flicker of motion from the corner of her eye made her turn and, for a split second, she saw another figure moving between dimensions. Then, as quickly as the sensation had begun, she was free.

Alyna found herself in a garden. The sun was shining brightly and a faint breeze whipped through the leaves of the plants. Alyna brought her attention to the humanoids who were greeting each other in front of her. Atreus and Tethys were standing by as Suni hugged an older woman with multi-coloured hair. Alyna immediately recognized her species as Saturnian. She wore an orange jumpsuit, indicating her position as an Official of Yensid, the people who governed the dimension. The woman looked up from Suni's embrace and smiled warmly.

"You must be Alyna," she said.

Alyna dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Ambassador Catalina."

"Drop the titles," Catalina said. "A friend of these three is almost like family."

Alyna smiled slightly and bowed her head. Suni took Catalina's hand and led her to one of the outside chairs in the garden. Atreus and Tethys sat as well, but Alyna remained standing.

"What's going on?" Suni asked.

Catalina sighed. "The guilds are up in arms. The Traders are being led by a newcomer by the name of Rael. He's been making speeches, rallying the people, telling everyone who will listen about the evils of the UPP. The whole Trade Guild is behind him, as well as the Artists and the agricultural section of the Officials. The Elders are even starting to sway his way. The Healers and Scientists are speaking out against them, but Rael is using the people like an army and destroying anyone who gets in his way."

"What about the Council?" Suni asked.

"The Council is divided," Catalina said. "The Elders are managing to keeping the Traders from resorting to war."

"As representative of the UPP, you must be at great risk," Atreus commented, shivering slightly.

"Are you okay?" Tethys asked.

"I always forget how cold Yensid is," the Andromedan remarked. "Excuse me, I think I'll put on a sweater."

As Atreus rummaged through his pack for extra clothing, Suni stood and began to pace. 

"We'll need to arrange a meeting with Rael," she decided. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement. We may end up limiting trade, but it will be better than war."

Catalina nodded. "I'll propose that with the Trade representative in Council tomorrow. In the meantime, why don't you four go to the market?"

"Is Cassi around?" Suni asked suddenly.

"She may be at the Science Hall," Catalina replied. "I haven't seen her since Suzee's last birthday party."

"Who is Cassi?" Alyna asked.

"Suzee's younger sister," Tethys replied. "She's a member of the Science guild."

"I also sent a message to Suzee," Catalina said. "I don't know if she got it or not. The Guiders are very much underrepresented in the Council since she left with her dimensional portal. I don't know which side they support."

Suni smiled. "Don't worry, Auntie. You have us here now. We'll solve this problem for Yensid and the UPP."

"And extra credit in Diplomatic Relations," Atreus added dryly.

Suni shrugged. "Every little bit helps, doesn't it, Atreus?"

The Andromedan blushed.

*****

Suni led the way through the city to the Science Hall. Atreus and Tethys had rarely left Catalina's small house on their previous visits, and they marveled at the market as they walked through. Alyna followed behind the group, her golden eyes forward. Tethys slowed to a crawl in front of her, fingering some jewelry at one of the stands and stopping to look at some exotic fabrics. 

"This colour really brings out the blue of your fur," Tethys said, holding an edge of the fabric up to Alyna's face.

"What would I use this for?" the Guardian asked, puzzled.

"A new dress," Tethys said. "You can't always wear that cloak and those pants."

Alyna looked shocked. "Remove my cloak? You cannot be serious!"

Tethys dropped the fabric and held up her hand daintily in surrender. "I'm sorry. I just thought you might like a change."

"A Guardian is never without their cloak," Alyna told her friend. "Not only does it keep me warm in space, it holds everything I need to survive."

She moved past the Neptunian to catch up with Suni. Tethys caught Atreus by the arm and the Andromedan turned inquiringly to his friend.

"Don't talk to her about her cloak," Tethys warned. "She's very touchy about it."

Atreus blinked in surprise as the princess walked past him. With a shrug, he quickened his pace to catch up, sneezing lightly as he moved.

*****

The Science Hall was a large, domed building made of glass on top of a grassy hill. Inventions lay littered around it, some salvaged for parts and others in full operation. Suni didn't even notice them as she headed for the door. To the right of the large glass doors was a statue of two men, each holding some sort of scientific invention and smiling. One man was tall and skinny, while the other was short and plump. They were in a relaxed stance, as if they had been friends for a long time.

"Who are they?" Atreus asked.

Tethys leaned closer to read the plaque at the base of the statue. "Martin and Timm, for their work in curing the Guider Plague, they will never be forgotten."

"Come on," Suni said. 

She pushed open one of the doors and they stepped inside. 

"This place looks like the chemistry lab exploded," Tethys whispered.

"And for once, we didn't do it," Atreus agreed.

The whole Hall was a mess of experiments. Machines and tables littered the floor, papers and compupads were strewn about, and the air smelled faintly of smoke. Suni turned sharply right around a huge vat of bubbling purple and motioned for her friends to follow.

"Cassi will be in the Bioscience area," Suni explained. "Life is her specialty."

The foursome weaved through the disaster, Atreus and Tethys always looking around at the various procedures. Alyna moved forward with determination, almost herding her friends before her. At the edge of the Bioscience area, Suni grabbed the sleeve of a yellow garbed man, who glared at her impatiently.

"Is Cassi here?" Suni asked.

"She's in the back," the man said quickly before moving on.

Suni thanked his retreating form and headed deeper into the Hall. Here, there were animals and samples scattered about, along with many computers and monitoring systems. Tethys had to be dragged by Atreus when they passed through the plant area, and she gasped at the hundreds of species she couldn't even identify.

Finally, they reached the back of the room where a lone figure was pouring over a littered table. She wore a white lab coat over her yellow jumpsuit, and had brown hair streaked with rainbow colours tied in a long ponytail. 

"Cassi?" Suni said awkwardly.

The woman looked up and smiled warmly. "Suni! Nice to see you again!"

Cassi rose to embrace her sister's niece. She was several years younger than Suzee, but looked almost exactly like a younger version of her sister. Her eyes were a deep purple naturally and she wore her hair very long. The rainbow streaks were more evident in her hair, and it was almost as if she had rainbow hair highlighted with brown. 

"I'm so glad you're here, Suni," Cassi said. "I have a favour to ask – hello."

Cassi looked up, noticing the other for the first time. Suni pointed to each of them in turn as she introduced them.

"These are my friends. Atreus from Andromeda, Princess Tethys of Neptune, and Alyna from space."

Cassi looked at Alyna closely. "What a curious species," she remarked. "No obvious respiration or cardiopulmonary system. Almost humanoid in appearance. What did you say her species was?"

"She did not say," Alyna said. "I am a Guardian."

Cassi stepped back and grinned. "Forgive me, Alyna, was it? Natural curiosity. I specialize in new and foreign species. The UPP records have been a delightful addition to my research, but I don't recall reading about Guardians."

"We are a solitary species," Alyna said. "I am only the second of my kind to interact with planet-dwellers on an intimate level."

"Fascinating," Cassi breathed.

Suni tugged on her sleeve. "What favour did you want to ask me?"

Cassi turned to face the girl. "I'm sorry, Suni. Suzee dropped by a week or so ago and brought someone with her. She asked me to watch him, but I have too many experiments on the go right now to take care of him. Catalina's been swamped with the Trade dispute. Do you think you could show him around? I bet he's awfully bored at my house."

"Sure," Suni said. "Who is he?"

Cassi blinked. "You don't know?"

Suni shook her head and the others stared at her blankly. Cassi sat back down and took a deep breath. 

"His name is Xen. He comes from a place Suzee calls Vyrill. It was a dimension she came across around the time Suni was born. Anyway, the people of Vyrill had the ability to pass through dimensions without the use of a portal, so she stayed for a while to study them."

"What are you trying to say, Cassi?" Tethys asked.

Cassi raised her purple eyes to meet Suni's. "Xen is Suzee's son."

*****

The walk back to Catalina's house was silent. Suni was in shock, and she moved quickly without thinking of her friends trailing behind her. They others said nothing, knowing Suni was best left alone with her thoughts. After Cassi's startling news, they had agreed to allow Xen to come with them. She told them she would send him to Catalina's house the next morning.

That evening after supper, talk turned again to the trade problems. Catalina had managed to persuade a Trader to speak to Rael, in the hopes of setting up a meeting. In the meantime, some Traders were refusing to sell UPP goods, or sell to non-Yensidians. The few people like Catalina who had emigrated to Yensid were terrified for their lives. Tension was very high and it was only a matter of time before something set it off. 

A message arrived as they were preparing for bed. The messenger wore the brown suit of a Trader and regarded Catalina distastefully as she took the compupad from him. She brought it to the room where her guests were sitting by the fire and read it quickly.

"What is it?" Suni asked.

Atreus looked up from where he sat nearly inside the fireplace. Tethys gently put down her tea cup to give Catalina her full attention. Alyna stepped out from the shadows to listen. Catalina smiled.

"Rael will meet with the UPP representatives tomorrow morning," she said. "The only other thing it gives are directions to the meeting place." She frowned. "He wants to talk near the Out Reaches. I don't like it."

"We'll be fine, Auntie," Suni said, covering up a yawn.

"Here I am keeping you awake," Catalina chided herself, putting down the compupad. "Off to bed, all of you."

Suni, Atreus, and Tethys rose to their feet and headed for the stairs, where they would share Catalina's guest room. Alyna headed to the garden.

"Where are you going?" Catalina asked the Guardian.

Alyna dipped her head. "I do not require as much sleep as you do, and I find the cooler atmosphere outside to be more comfortable. If I cannot return to space, I will rest there."

Catalina nodded. "If you get cold, come inside."

Alyna gave her a half smile. "I can assure you, Catalina, that I will not feel the cold."

The Saturnian woman watched the young Guardian go, and felt the same suspicion she had voiced to Harlan when Alyna had asked to join the Starcademy. With a shrug, she sat down to wait for the fire to die down before going to bed herself.

*****

There was a knock at the door the next morning as Suni, Atreus, Tethys, and Catalina were eating breakfast. Alyna stood off to one side, rubbing a strange cream onto her arms and face. Suni and Catalina both rose to their feet at the same time to answer the door.

"I'll get it, Auntie," Suni said, heading down the hallway.

Catalina followed. Suni opened the door to reveal a humanoid male. He had shoulder length silver hair and silvery white skin. His eyes were a deep, dark gray colour and he wore a black jumpsuit. Four dragonfly-like wings sprouted from his back and he held a brown bag in his hands. He looked at Suni and smiled shyly.

"Xen," Catalina said emotionlessly.

The boy looked up and his eyes widened. His wings quivered, as if he was going to launch himself into the air at any moment.

"You know him?" Suni asked.

Catalina sighed. "I assume Cassi told you. Suzee and I had great disagreements over this boy."

"He's still your nephew, kind of," Suni objected.

Catalina sighed and opened the door wider. "Come in, Xen. Any arguments I have are with your mother, not you. I'm sorry if I've scared you."

"I understand how I must make you feel," Xen said quietly. Suni thought she could hear a faint buzzing when he spoke. He had a strange accent that made the language sound difficult to pronounce, like how Alyna had sounded when they had first met.

"I'm Suni," the Mercurian-Uranusian said happily, extending her hand. "I'm your kind of cousin!"

Xen smiled shyly and took her hand. "You will have to explain to me what a cousin is, Suni, but I am pleased to meet you."

Suni brought Xen into the kitchen to meet the others. He bowed to Tethys and Alyna, and shook hand firmly with Atreus. Catalina prepared him some food, and he joined the others for breakfast. 

When they were done eating, Catalina told them how to get to the meeting place and warned them to be careful. Atreus was filling Xen in as much as possible about what was going on, and Xen told Atreus what he knew from listening to Cassi and the other Scientists. A few minutes after they left the house, Tethys turned to Alyna.

"Could I borrow some moisturizer?" she asked. 

Alyna blinked. "Moisturizer?"

"You were smearing yourself with it this morning," Tethys said. "I just want a bit for my hands."

"That was not moisturizer. That was breakfast."

Tethys blinked in surprise and Alyna smiled as she moved to walk with Xen.

*****

The group was very tired when they finally arrived at the meeting place. It was a small, isolate building far from the Yensidian market and close to the tall stone walls that separated Yensid from the Out Reaches. Suni suppressed a shudder as she gazed at the imposing building, then straightened her posture. She wanted to appear confident before her friends. She glanced over her shoulder to where they all gathered behind her.

Tethys was unconsciously running her long fingers through her hair, staring at the bleak building. Atreus was hugging himself and shivering, his eyes also on the meeting place. Alyna was expressionless, as usual. Xen's delicate wings shook and his gray eyes were wide. Suni took a deep breath, put on a smile, and turned to her companions.

"Ready?" she asked.

Wordlessly, the nodded. Suni straightened the jacket of her Starcademy uniform and walked up to the door. She knocked three times and waited. A few minutes later, the door was opened and two men dressed in brown jumpsuits appeared. They looked down at Suni, and then at her friends. One of them began to laugh.

"Go home, children," he said. "This is no place to play."

Suni assumed an air of authority. "We are representative from the UPP here to negotiate an end to the Trade dispute."

The other man chuckled. "The mighty UPP sent children to solve this? They must really think little of us."

"We are not children," Tethys spoke up, using her princess voice. "Inform your leader that we have arrived."

The second man shrugged at the first and disappeared into the building. A moment later, he returned and told the first man to let them in. The door was opened wider and Suni led her friends into the dark interior.

They were taken to a long room that contained a single table and several chairs. A man dressed in brown with green and red hair was waiting for them there. The rest of the room was bathed in shadows.

"Careful," Atreus whispered to Suni. "He's not the only one in here."

"Greetings, members of the UPP," the man said, extending his hand. "I am Rael."

"I am Suni Ianni," Suni introduced herself, taking the man's hand. "These are my companions. We hope to come to a resolution quickly, Master Rael."

"Please, sit down," Rael invited.

Suni did and Atreus stood protectively behind her. Alyna retreated to the shadows near the door, and Xen and Tethys sat on either side of Suni. The negotiations began in the typical way. Rael assured Suni he had no intentions of harming the UPP, but only wanted the people of Yensid to have the benefit of trade without taxes. Suni listened carefully to his words, while Atreus focused his keen hearing on the other figure in the room. 

"The Traders of Yensid are only concerned that they are losing money by competing with UPP merchants," Rael said for the tenth time. "If the merchants of the UPP would agree to pay a form of tax on their goods, I'm sure the Traders would back down."

"That sounds like a workable idea," Suni said cautiously. "If I might ask, how did this dispute begin?"

Rael's eyes widened temporarily before her relaxed again. He launched into a long story about the people of Yensid buying UPP goods over their own people and even included several sad stories of impoverished Traders. Suni listened carefully, knowing that Rael was not saying everything.

_He's lying_, a voice suddenly whispered through her mind.

Suni's eyes widened for a split second before she forced herself to concentrate on Rael's story. Her eyes darted momentarily to where Xen sat next to her, and she saw that he was staring intently at her.

_He's planning a revolt and an invasion of the UPP_, Xen continued.

"That's enough," another deeper voice suddenly said.

Atreus' grip tightened on the back of Suni's chair. Rael broke off in the middle of his story. Suni squinted into the darkness at the back of the room, wondering who had spoken. She looked inquiringly at Rael.

"My apologies," he said hesitantly. "That is our Master, the head of the Traders. He wished to be present at these negotiations but "

"Enough!" the Master's voice rang out. "You assured me the people from the UPP would be the ones to declare war on the Traders. You were confident that the revolt would begin by them."

"Patience, Master," Rael pleaded, looking from Suni to the darkened corner. "This is not the time to discuss this."

"I have run out of patience, Rael," the Master said. "We will kill these UPP citizens and claim it was self defense. The people of Yensid will flock to us and we will crush the UPP before they knew what hit them."

Five Traders moved toward Suni, Xen, Tethys, and Atreus. Each held a blaster in his hand and they aimed them at the cadets. 

"Run!" Suni exclaimed.

Atreus grabbed the front of the first blaster and twisted it into useless metal. He shoved the Trader who held it, causing the man to fly backwards and hit the wall. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. At the same time, Suni let fly a burst of electricity from her fingertips, bringing the second man to his knees. Tethys kicked the third man in the chest and as he gasped for breath, she seized his blaster and aimed it at him. Xen rose into the air on his dragonfly wings and tried to stay out of everyone's way.

Rael retreated further into the darkness to where the Master was sitting. Alyna stepped forward from the shadows. She made a sweeping motion with her arms and knocked the remaining two Traders to the floor. 

"Grab onto me!" Alyna cried. "Xen, get out of here."

The boy from the dimension Vyrill nodded and vanished in a flash of light. Suni, Atreus, and Tethys grabbed onto Alyna and the Guardian teleported them out of the building as ten more Traders marched through the door.

"Find them," the Master snarled. "They must not be allowed to reached the UPP."

The Traders nodded and left the room. Rael began to move with them, but the Master called him back.

"Go to the city, Rael," the Master ordered. "Begin the revolution."

"At once, Master," Rael obeyed.

*****

Alyna reappeared next to the stone wall that separated Yensid from the Out Reaches. She collapsed to the ground in exhaustion as the others took in their surroundings. Atreus knelt by her side to make sure she was all right.

"We're next to the wall," Suni wailed. "We need to get back to the city!"

"I am sorry," Alyna said. "I could not go farther than this."

From the building, over a dozen armed Traders came out. They looked around for a second before one of them spotted the group. With an angry shout, the mob headed toward the wall. Atreus picked up Alyna easily and turned to his friends.

"We don't have much of a choice," he said. "Suni, will they follow us into the Out Reaches?"

Suni paled. "No, but – "

Atreus didn't wait for her to finish. Shifting Alyna to one arm, he kicked the wall. It cracked slightly. He gently put the Guardian down and smashed the wall with his full strength. A hole large enough for a person to pass through crumbled under his fists. He motioned for Suni to enter. Reluctantly, the girl did. Tethys followed, and Atreus passed Alyna to his friends as the Traders approached. Dodging a few blaster bolts, the Andromedan threw himself into the hole and the group began to run deeper into the Out Reaches. The Traders stopped at the hole and watched them go.

"They're as good as dead out there," one of them sneered. "Let's get out of here."

The others agreed and the small army of Traders moved back to the building where their master waited.

*****

The Out Reaches was an area of pure desolation. The entire landscape was sandy dunes and a chill wind blew across them. No trees, grass, plants, or animals were visible as far as they could see. The group ran for a while until they had nearly lost sight of the wall. Finally exhausted after all that had happened, they stopped and sat on some rocks. Atreus put Alyna down and shivered. 

"This place is horrible," Tethys complained. "It's going to take me weeks to get the sand out of my hair."

"We have worse problems, Tethys," Atreus said. "The man Rael called the Master was the same man who started the Andromedan revolt. I recognized his voice."

"The same guy?" Suni repeated. "Why would one man be interested in turning the Andromedans against the Spung, and stopping dimensional trade with the UPP?"

"Could this Master also be behind the Neptunian revolts?" Tethys wondered. "It seems we may have a conspiracy on our hands."

The wind picked up and tore through everyone like a knife. Only Alyna seemed unaffected by the chill. Atreus hugged himself tightly and sneezed, a light dusting of snow escaping his ears. 

"If it gets any colder, I'll freeze!" Tethys moaned.

"Don't exaggerate," Suni snapped irritably. "We're all cold."

"I'm serious," Tethys explained. "Neptunians are mostly water. Very cold temperatures cause us to turn to ice."

Alyna removed her Starcademy jacket and handed it to the Neptunian. Gratefully, Tethys put it on over her own uniform. Alyna began to rummage through the pockets of her cloak until she found a ragged blanket, which she offered to Atreus and Suni.

"I am afraid that is all I have," the Guardian apologized.

"You seem better," Suni remarked. "Can you teleport us back to the city?"

Alyna shook her head. "It is too difficult to pass through air. If we were in space, I could probably attempt it. At best, I could bring us back to the wall, after a few hours of rest."

"We have to warn Aunt Catalina," Suni said. "She's in great danger right now. If Rael starts his revolution and claims that it was our fault, Yensid will wage war with the UPP."

"Which is exactly what the Master fellow wants," Tethys added.

The group fell silent for a few minutes, each lost in their own dismal thoughts. Suddenly, Atreus raised his head to listen. He closed his eyes in concentration, expanding his hearing as far as he could. 

"Someone is here," he said softly, still listening. "They're getting closer to us."

"More Traders?" Tethys wondered.

"If we're separated," Suni said quickly, rising to her feet, "make for the wall. One of us has to warn Catalina."

The others nodded and rose to meet the approaching figure. Soon, they could all make it out in the dusty wind. The figure didn't seem to be moving quickly, and it stopped every once in a while. Atreus tensed, ready for a fight. The figure walked through the wind and stepped into view.

"Xen!" Suni exclaimed.

The Vyrillian smiled at his new friends. He looked almost human with his wings folded down and out of the wind. Atreus and the others relaxed as Xen took a seat on one of the rocks.

"I looked everywhere for you guys," Xen said. "I had to follow your thoughts to find you out here."

"Can you get back to Catalina's house?" Suni asked her cousin. "We need to warn the UPP about the revolt."

Xen bit his lip. "I can try to bring you through the dimensions, but I don't know if it will work. My mother needs a machine that cuts through dimensional space. I don't know what the trip will do to you."

"We have to try," Suni said. "No matter what the risk. We can't let this Master destroy the UPP-Yensid alliance."

"Okay, if you're sure," Xen said hesitantly.

He held out his hand, which Suni took firmly. Tethys held onto Suni, Atreus to Tethys, and Alyna brought up the rear. Xen held up his free hand and it began to glow with a white light. The light expanded into a white portal.

"If anyone has any trouble," Xen called back, "squeeze hands. I'll set us down in the closest dimension."

He unfolded his wings and stepped through the portal. The humanoid chain followed him, and the portal closed behind them. 

*****

The Council of Yensid was in session. Representatives from every guild were there, with the Elders overseeing the meeting. Catalina had the floor, speaking on behalf of the UPP. She reminded the Yensidians of the benefits of trade with the UPP, how dimensional travel had helped everyone's lives. She used the Guider Plague as an example of one dimension helping the other. The natives listened to her without comment. Many agreed with her, but the Traders remained firmly opposed. As Catalina concluded and returned to her seat with a roar of applause, Rael stepped up.

"Members of the Council," Rael began. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Ambassador Catalina has been misleading us all."

The Council gasped collectively. Catalina frowned, wondering what this Trader had up his sleeve.

"I have just come from a meeting with the UPP diplomats," Rael continued. "They demanded no tax be issued to trade coming from UPP space, and ordered that we raise our own taxes to compensate. They demanded more portals and more representation here in Yensid. In short, they wanted to conquer us."

The Council began to murmur among itself. Several members shot unpleasant looks at Catalina. Rael continued.

"I, naturally, refused these outrageous demands. The UPP representatives then declared war on Yensid. They sought to conquer us by force if not through trade. Regrettably, I had no choice by to kill them so they could not return to the UPP to muster their forces. I have bought us some time."

Catalina paled and fell back into her seat. She noticed the room was slowly filling with people dressed in brown. They were blocking the exits and were armed.

"Members of the Council," Rael was saying. "I call upon all of you to call for arms. We must not be caught unprepared when the wave of UPP soldiers comes pouring through the portals. We must shut them down. We must lock up any non-Yensidian who may be a spy. We must protect our way of life!"

The Council roared in agreement. Catalina rose to get their attention, waiting to be recognized by the Elders. Instead, someone seized her arm from behind and began to drag her out of the council chamber. She felt a blaster dig into her back, and she moved without struggling. She could only hope that what Rael had said was a lie.

*****

Suni kept her eyes closed as Xen led them across the dimensions. She felt as if she were walking through thick water. It felt warm, but moist at the same time. She hoped the others were doing well. The trip seemed to last for a long time, but finally Xen stopped moving. She felt Tethys bump into her as she stopped. Xen raised his hand once more to open the portal, and stepped through. The others gratefully followed.

The materialized in Catalina's garden. Suni took a deep breath as she released Xen and Tethys' hands. The Neptunian shuddered and began to rub her arms with her hands. Atreus shook his head as if he had emerged from a pool, and Alyna collapsed to the ground.

"Alyna!" Suni exclaimed, rushing to her friend's side.

The Guardian was struggling to sit up, and Atreus helped her. She smiled at her friends.

"I am all right," she managed. "My head feels as if it had gone through a black hole, and the ground appears to be moving."

Atreus helped her to her feet. "The atmosphere between the dimensions was huge," he said. "You probably just have a pressure headache."

Alyna dipped her head, and nearly fell over again. She pressed one hand to her temple.

"Let's go inside," Tethys suggested. "You can sit down for a few minutes while we explain things to Catalina."

The Neptunian led the way inside, but stopped and gasped in shock. The inside of Catalina's small house was a disaster. It looked as if a mob of people had gone through, searching for something. Drawers were emptied and tossed aside, bookshelves were over turned, and her viewscreen was smashed to pieces.

"Looks like we're too late," Atreus commented as he helped Alyna to a chair.

"Where is Catalina?" Xen asked.

"They took her," a familiar voice replied.

The group turned to see Cassi standing at the base of the stairs. She gave them a half smile as she walked forward and put her arm around Xen's shoulder.

"The Traders have declared war on the UPP," Cassi said. "They've imprisoned Catalina, and everyone else related to the UPP. They said you were dead."

"Where is Catalina?" Suni repeated.

"In prison," Cassi replied. "The Elders are trying to get the city back under control. The Officials are patrolling and arresting the Traders. The city is in chaos out there."

"What can we do?" Tethys asked in a small voice.

Cassi shrugged. "They've got the portals guarded, so you can't even go home. I'm sorry, guys. Maybe you can help the Officials get the city back under control. You need to convince the Council that the UPP is not preparing for war."

"How do we do that?" Atreus asked.

"I don't know," Suni sighed. "But I know someone we can ask." 

*****

They waited until nightfall before they attempted to leave Catalina's house. They headed for the Science Hall, where most of the people opposed to the Trader War were hiding, planning to take back their city. Several times, Cassi motioned for them to hide as Trader patrols crossed their path, but they managed to make it to the Hall without incident. 

Once inside the dark building, Cassi led them to a hidden staircase that led to the basement of the building. She didn't bother to light a lamp, and they were forced to move slowly to make sure no one fell. At the bottom, they suddenly found themselves in a group of Yensidians, not all of whom were Scientists. 

"These are the diplomats sent by the UPP to negotiate with the Traders," Cassi introduce them.

"Rael said they were dead," someone spoke up.

"They tried to kill us," Suni explained. "We managed to escape and make our way back here. Listen, we must convince the Council that the Traders are lying. If I can, I'll send a message to Admiral Band of the UPP. Will his word be enough to convince the Council?"

"You'll have to prove what Rael said was a lie," another Scientists piped up.

Suni frowned. It came down to their word against his, and in the Council's present state of mind, they would not take the word of a foreigner over that of a Yensidian.

"Perhaps we can trick Rael into revealing himself," Xen said timidly.

All eyes turned to him. He blushed and cleared his throat.

"I mean, he takes orders from the Master, right? What if he thought he was speaking to the Master, and we trick him into admitting something? If the Council has a witness, it should be enough to discredit him, right?"

Suni smiled brightly. "Xen, you're a genius!"

"But how do we convince him he's talking to his Master?" someone asked.

Suni shook a finger at the crowd disapprovingly and shook her head. "Shame on you. Aren't most of you Scientists? I'm sure you can come up with something. In the meantime, I'll send that message to Admiral Band."

The Scientists cheered at the plan and began to organize themselves. Suni smiled at her friends. Now all they needed was the Council to agree to hear them out, and the war would hopefully be adverted.

*****

Suni sat at Cassi's desk, carefully crafting her speech. The Scientists were busily working around her, trying to craft a likeness of the Master's voice as well as way to record what Rael was saying. Atreus was helping them with the voice, while Tethys continued to try to get through to UPP Headquarters. 

Suni looked up from what she wrote and saw Xen walk by. She called to him, and he came over with an inquisitive look on his face.

"Xen, I need you to do me a favour," Suni told him.

The Vyrillian nodded. "Atreus already told me. I'll do what I can."

"Thanks," Suni smiled. "How long until sunrise?"

"A few hours, I think," Xen replied. "Are you sure the Council will hear you?"

"I hope so," Suni sighed. "It's this dimension's only hope."

Xen took a seat next to Suni and began to read over her shoulder. Suni sighed as she also reread her speech. So much depended on chance, and there was so much to be lost. If the UPP went to war with Yensid, she would never get to see Suzee or Cassi again. Catalina would probably be executed, along with the hundreds of immigrants from the UPP to Yensid. Suni let her eyes wander around the walls of the Science Hall, knowing that this could be the last chance she would have to look at it. Xen placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Get some sleep," he told her. "Tomorrow morning will be a busy day, and you need rest."

"I need to finish the speech," Suni argued, although she felt exhausted.

Xen took the compupad from her. "I'll finish it off. You're nearly done anyway. If our luck holds, you won't even need to make this speech."

Suni smiled and stifled a yawn. "You're right. Thanks, Xen."

The Vyrillian smiled. "Anything for family, cousin."

*****

After careful persuasion, Cassi managed to convince the Council to hear Suni and her friends out. They walked from the Science Hall to the Council Hall unmolested, although mobs of angry Yensidians lined the streets. Suni walked with Cassi, and Xen followed close behind. Atreus, Alyna, and Tethys were nowhere to be seen in the procession of Scientists trying to advert war. Rael was standing on the steps of the Council Hall, looking pleased with himself. Suni shot him a dirty look as she walked by. A Trader tapped Rael on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and disappeared into the building. Suni smiled to herself and followed Cassi down the hall to the council chambers.

As she entered the room, Suni was surprised to see Catalina standing in chains to one side. She was dirty and pale, but she held her head up high and didn't give her captors the satisfaction of seeing her fear. Suni looked at her, eyes full of concern, and Catalina gave her a slight smile to show she was unhurt. Relief swept through the cadet as she turned her full attention to the Council.

The members sat behind two high desks. The lower row was a rainbow of colour, the representatives from every guild showing their colours. Above them sat the orange suited Officials and the purple suited Elders, the two factions who oversaw the Council and ultimately made the final decisions. Suni gazed up at them and suddenly felt very small. Cassi squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, and the meeting commenced.

Before Suni was allowed to speak, the Council conducted the daily business of Yensid. They discussed the day's agenda, and Suni almost gasped aloud when she heard that Catalina was standing there for sentencing. Fortunately, Suni's appointment was before Catalina's, so she still had a chance to set things right. The business droned on and Suni found herself growing impatient. She sat between Cassi and Xen, and continuously glanced at the clock. The Vyrillian sat with his eyes closed in concentration. Finally, he smiled.

"They got him," he whispered to Suni. "Atreus is setting up the recording right now."

Suni grinned and Cassi looked at her curiously. The Official read Suni's name, and the cadet rose. She straightened the front of her jacket and walked up to the double desks.

"Members of the Council," Suni began. "I am Suni Ianni, diplomatic envoy of the UPP. I was sent here by Admiral Band to put an end to the trade disputes between Yensid and the UPP. Unfortunately, all of my attempts were balked by the Trader leader, Rael."

A murmur passed through the chambers. One of the Elders banged a gavel on the desk to call for order. Suni waited for the murmuring to stop before she proceeded.

"Rael, however, was not the mastermind behind this dispute," Suni continued. She noticed that Xen had disappeared. Everything was going smoothly. "Rael was taking orders from a man known only as the Master. This stranger has not only been responsible for discord in Yensid, but among the united planets of the UPP as well."

"She lies," a Trader spoke up. "It's a trick to get us to lower our defenses."

"I have proof," Suni told the Trader. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a communication's device. "Atreus, play the recording."

The Council fell into a stunned silence as Rael's voice filled the chamber. He was not alone, however. Another voice, which Suni identified as the Master's, was also speaking.

"The city is ours, Master," Rael was saying. "The portals are shut down and the non-Yensidians are imprisoned."

"Where is the UPP Admiral?" the Master asked.

"He probably has no idea what's going on," Rael told him. "I'll convince the Council to launch the first invasion, a pre-emptive strike. If I tell them the UPP is raising it's army against us, the Council will vote for the invasion unanimously. Once in UPP space, it will seem like the Yensidians are attacking them and they'll fight back. Both sides will be weakened."

"Excellent," the Master replied.

The recording ended and the people in the chamber began to speak. Rael shrunk lower into his chair, hoping to escape notice. Even the Trader's seemed alarmed at the admission of their leader.

"Order," the Elder with the gavel commanded. 

The room fell quiet again. Several armed guards dressed in orange placed themselves around Rael, holding their blaster's reading. Catalina was smiling.

"We have heard the lies of the one called Rael," the Elder said. "We apologize for his action, yet we have no proof that the UPP is not mobilized against us."

"I think I can help with that," a new voice said.

Every head in the chamber turned to see Admiral Band, dressed in white, walking down the aisle. Xen walked behind him and took his seat next to Cassi again. Harlan winked at Suni as he stopped next to her to face the Council.

"As Admiral of the UPP, I can assure you we have no intentions of invasion or conquest. We hope only for the continuing good relations between Yensid and the UPP," Harlan spoke up.

The Council was amazed. "The portals are closed," the Elder gasped. "How did you arrive here, Admiral?"

Harlan gestured to Xen. "This boy is from a dimension called Vyrill. They are able to pass freely between dimensions, and apparently can bring guests with them."

The Council chuckled. The Elder pointed to Catalina. "Release her."

The guards quickly did as they were told. As Catalina stood rubbing her wrists, the Elder apologized on behalf of Yensid and asked that she help resolve any lingering problems between Yensid and the UPP.

"That's why I'm here, Elder," Catalina said. "To keep the peace."

*****

Catalina, Cassi, Harlan, Suni, Xen, Atreus, Tethys, and Alyna all gathered at Catalina's house later that afternoon. The portals had been reopened immediately, a new leader had been elected for the Trader's guild, and life had returned to normal. After the storytelling, filling in Catalina and Harlan on what had happened, the group had decided to return to the UPP. 

"I can't wait to tell Mom about this one," Suni said. 

"She'll probably pull you out of Starcademy and make you a nurse on the Starbase if you do," Atreus warned his friend.

Suni shook her head. "I've always got one up on her. No matter what I do, nothing tops her adventures on the Christa."

They all laughed at that, especially Harlan and Catalina. 

"What I don't understand is, how did you get Rael to say all that stuff?" Catalina asked. 

"Easy," Tethys said. "Atreus and I hid in the room next to Rael's and hooked up a direct line to his view screen. We turned off all the lights, and Atreus used a voice transformer to make him sound like the Master."

"Alyna was hiding in Rael's room with a recorder," Atreus added.

"I was not hiding," Alyna objected. "I was invisible."

"And let's not forget Xen," Suni piped up. "Without him, we'd never have got Uncle Harlan here to vouch for us."

"Yeah, and my heart would still be whole," Harlan added. "He nearly stopped it when he popped into my office."

"Sorry," Xen apologized. "It was urgent."

"The UPP is in your debt, Xen," Harlan told him. "Without you, two dimensions would have been at war."

"May I make a request, then?" Xen asked timidly.

Harlan looked at him expectantly. Xen cleared his throat and lowered his eyes.

"May I join your Starcademy? There is little for me in Vyrill, and I can't stay in Yensid," Xen asked.

"It's the middle of the year," Harlan said.

"We'll help him catch up," Suni said.

"And we can arrange his schedule so he's always in class with one of us," Tethys added.

Atreus and Alyna nodded their agreement. Harlan sighed. 

"I'll talk to the principal and see what I can do," he promised.

The group cheered.

*****

Alyna swam through space, enjoying being free from the oppressive atmosphere of planets. She found Yensid to be more of a strain than Starcademy and was grateful to no longer have to rely on nutritional supplements. Now back in her sector, she searched for the Guardian who had replaced her for the few days they had been gone. She was in no hurry, and her thoughts turned as they often did when she was alone to her friends.

The newest companion, Xen, was a remarkable creature. She found she could speak with him easily in her native telepathy, which was a lot less cumbersome than spoken words. Although she disliked passing between dimensions, she could see how it was similar to her teleportation. She decided the two of them were very similar, and she hoped they would become good friends.

In the distance, Alyna spotted another Guardian. With a short teleport, she arrived in front of it and waited for it to acknowledge her. The Guardian stopped in front of her and Alyna could see her clearly.

She was older, although age made little difference to the Guardians. She had long pink hair and blue eyes. She wore a black and white cloak and had a silver tail. Alyna dipped her head in greeting, and the other Guardian did the same.

_Gyana_, Alyna said. _The Council thought you lost_.

_The Council knows little of what I do_, Gyana replied. _I am outside them_.

_Then how did you come to patrol here?_ Alyna asked.

_Great Grandfather asked the favour_, Gyana said with a shrug. _I obliged._

Alyna smiled. _It is good to see you again, Mother_.

_We will meet again_, Gyana promised. _Watch over them for me_.

Without another word, the two Guardians parted. Alyna returned to the Starcademy where she knew here friends would be sleeping, and Gyana departed for space unknown.


	6. Fish Out Of Water

FISH OUT OF WATER

Suni woke and yawned. Her alarm was buzzing and she rolled over to hit it. As the room once again fell into quiet darkness, Suni heard Tethys stirring in her bed across the room. Suni moaned and buried her face in her pillow, wishing for just ten more minutes of sleep. They had returned from Yensid only three days ago, and Suni was still excited about what they had accomplished. She had stayed up late talking to her mother and father, and even after they had said goodbye, it had taken her a long time for fall asleep. Now she was feeling the full effects of her decision.

"Morning," Tethys said, yawning elegantly.

Suni put her face deeper into her pillow and muttered something. Tethys got up and turned on the lights in their room. She slipped into the bathroom as Suni sat up in bed. The Mercurian-Uranusian scratched her pink head and yawned again. She felt like she had never fallen asleep. Tethys was singing in the shower and Suni dragged herself to her feet and started arranging her work for class.

"I had the strangest dream," Tethys remarked as she and Suni swapped placed in the bathroom. As Suni showered, Tethys dressed herself in her gray Starcademy uniform. "It was about Alyna. I was on a boat in the middle of Amphitrae, Neptune's largest ocean, and Alyna was swimming around me in the water.

"That's not so strange," Suni answered, finally waking up as she emerged from the shower. "Atreus was telling us the other day about the Earth mermaids that he learned about in his Alien Cultures class.

"That's not the strange part," Tethys said. "I was holding a harpoon gun, like from that old holofilm we watched a few weeks ago.

"Moby Dick?" Suni said through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"Yes, that one," Tethys agreed. "Anyway, Alyna was swimming around and I shot her with the harpoon gun. She sank like a stone into the water, and I was happy!

"You're right," Suni said, pulling on her Starcademy uniform. "That is strange. Why would you want to shoot Alyna?

"I don't want to shoot her!" Tethys protested.

Suni held up a hand in mock surrender as the other hand shoveled her notes into her bag. "Hey! Calm down. It was only a dream, right? Completely meaningless.

Tethys shrugged and picked up her school bag. "Are you ready?

"When have I ever not been ready for breakfast?" Suni joked as Tethys opened the door.

Atreus and Xen were already waiting in the cafeteria when Tethys and Suni arrived for breakfast. The Vyrillian wore his gray Starcademy jacket over his black jumpsuit and he seemed very self conscious about his clear dragonfly wings. His eyes were moving back and forth as he stood in line for food, his shoulder almost touching Atreus.

The Andromedan waved and Suni ran over to join him in line, with Tethys a step behind her. They chatted about nothing as they held out their trays to receive their food. The server, a short Plutonian man, took a long look at Xen.

"I don't recognize you. Where are you from?" he asked gruffly.

Xen appeared surprised. "The dimension of Vyrill.

The Plutonian frowned. "The new kid. Sorry, kid, but your home dimension hasn't told us any dietary restrictions for your species yet. What do you eat?

"Fruit, mostly" Xen said shyly, "although the Mercurian spiced pear I had yesterday was not very appetizing.

The Plutonian nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. He came back a moment later with a plate filled with different sliced fruits, which he handed to Xen.

"Make sure you get your species information sheet filled out, kid," the server told him. "Next!

The group slowly weaved their way through the crowd of cadets to their usual table. They sat down, Suni and Tethys across from Atreus and Xen, and began to eat. The Vyrillian nibbled at his fruit, but soon began to eat with a voracious appetite.

"So," Suni said, "how do you find Starcademy so far?

"Different," Xen replied. "On Vyrill, the Nightsong usually lulls me to sleep. Here, there was only the sound of my roommate snoring.

Suni laughed. "Who did you get stuck with?

"A human named John," Xen said. "He seems nice. He was curious about my dimension and we spoke about it for quite some time on my first night here.

"What's the Nightsong?" Atreus asked.

Xen swallowed another fruit. "The wind in my dimension. Once the light has faded, the sephra trees spread their leaves. The wind blowing through them makes the Nightsong.

Atreus nodded, and the group continued eating, occasionally interrupted by chatter. Toward the end of their meal, Tethys glanced up at the clock and began to count down.

"What is she doing?" Xen asked.

"Alyna always arrives at exactly 0825 to walk with Atreus to class," Suni explained. "She just pops in and the two of them go.

Xen's silvery skin turned a shade of lavender, his species' form of blushing. "I had not noticed earlier.

"That's understandable," Suni told him. "The first day you were so scared I'm surprised you remembered you were here, and yesterday they gave you some bad fruit.

As Tethys' countdown reached five, Atreus began to shovel his food into his mouth faster.

"Three É two É one," Tethys said.

Nothing happened. Suni exchanged worried glanced with her friends. Alyna was the most punctual person they had ever met. It was very unlike her to not appear. The other cadets began to file out of the cafeteria, heading to class and still Alyna had not appeared.

"What do you have now?" Suni asked Xen.

He glanced down at his compupad. "Spatial Botany.

Tethys smiled. "You're in my class, then. Come on or we'll be late.

As the group stood to leave, Alyna suddenly materialized beside their table. Her face was as expressionless as always, but there seemed to be something wrong. She walked towards Atreus and didn't even stop as she passed him.

"We will be late," she said over her shoulder.

The Andromedan ran to catch up. Suni waved goodbye to her friends and headed off to Diplomatic Relations, where she knew her teacher would expect her to make a full report on the negotiations in Yensid.

"What happened?" Atreus asked as he followed Alyna down the corridor.

"I had some unexpected news reach me from the Council," Alyna replied shortly. "I was not able to leave earlier, nor was I able to contact you. I am sorry.

The Guardian didn't slow her pace as she spoke, and Atreus found it difficult to concentrate on her as he dodged the heavy cadet traffic. As they reached the door of their class, Atreus reached out and grabbed Alyna's arm before she could disappear into the classroom. She turned to face him, her golden eyes staring deeply into his.

"Something is bothering you," Atreus said. "As your friend, I would like to know. Maybe I can help.

Alyna regarded him expressionlessly. "As a friend, I ask you not to help. It is a matter concerning Guardians, and no others. Excuse me, we must not be late.

She pulled herself free of his gentle grip and walked into the room. Atreus blinked in surprise. He could not understand, after all they had been through, why Alyna would not ask for help. The question plagued him all through class, and when he and Alyna parted company, all they said were quick good byes.

Suni waited patiently under the tall tree in the biosphere, where she met with Atreus and Alyna, and now Xen, every spare period. She was quite proud of her report in Diplomatic Relations class, and her teacher had been pleased as well. Her teacher had even given her the greatest compliment she could ever have heard Ð that one day, Suni would be a greater diplomat and ambassador than Catalina.

"Ambassador Suni," Suni mumbled to herself as she lay on her back, staring at the synthetic clouds above her. "Diplomat Suni. Commander Suni, Special Envoy to the Kaesar. Admiral Suni, Saviour of the UPP.

"Cadet Suni, Fail-er of Basic Shuttle Repair.

Suni sat up quickly to see Atreus standing at her feet, smiling broadly. Suni blushed, her temperature increasing slightly as part of her Mercurian heritage. Atreus came to sit next to her.

"How was your morning?" Suni asked.

"Great," Atreus said enthusiastically. "We got to take apart and re-assemble the engine of a transport. The taking apart was really easy, but it will probably take us the rest of the week to put it back together.

Suni made a face. "Great. Something to look forward to this afternoon.

"Yeah," Atreus agreed. "You make it sound like me delivering a report to Diplomatic Relations is the greatest thing in the world.

Suni laughed, and glanced around. "Where's Alyna?

Atreus' face darkened. "There's something going on with her, Suni. She won't talk about it, but I don't think it's anything good.

"What is it?" Suni asked.

"All she would tell me was that the Guardian Council sent her some unexpected news, and that it's an issue for the Guardians and no one else," Atreus said. He exhaled slowly. "She's hiding something.

"You're not getting suspicious again, are you?" Suni asked.

Atreus smiled. "Of course not. I'm just worried.

"About what?" a new voice asked.

Suni and Atreus looked up from their conversation to see Xen standing in front of them. He smiled timidly.

"There you are," Suni exclaimed. "I was looking for you after Universal Communications, but you vanished.

Xen blushed lavender again as he sat down next to Suni. "I'm sorry. I needed to speak to the teacher, then fill out my species information sheet so I would not have to worry about breakfast tomorrow.

Atreus smiled at him. "I didn't know you had a spare now, Xen. Where were you yesterday?

"Exploring," Xen replied. "This is a very large school, much larger than any building in my dimension.

"We were just discussing Alyna," Suni told him.

Xen nodded thoughtfully. "She has been very distressed, hasn't she? Her mind is full of turmoil.

Suni blinked. "Were you reading her mind this morning?

Xen blushed again. "I'm trying to control myself. On Vyrill, the thoughts of everyone flow freely. There are so many minds in this school that unless I consciously tune them out, they start to hurt my head.

"Tell me about it," Atreus muttered.

"What did you get from her mind?" Suni asked almost eagerly.

Atreus held up his hand. "Hang on. Xen, don't tell her. Suni, we can't make Xen spy for us. Alyna is our friend and if she wants our help, she'll ask for it.

Suni opened her mouth to object, but knew Atreus was right. Instead, she sat back and pouted. Atreus and Xen began to discuss their upcoming Diplomatic Relations class, where Atreus and Alyna would have to present their report. A few minutes later, Alyna appeared.

"Hi," Suni said. "Where have you been?

Alyna was not her usual expressionless self. Her eyes were wide and moved around, taking in everything around her. She had her cloak wrapped tightly around her body and all her muscles were tense. She sat down across from her friends.

"I have just received further news from the Council," Alyna said quietly, forcing Xen and Suni to lean forward. "Something is wrong in space.

"What is it?" Suni asked.

Alyna shook her head. "I do not know. I am sorry, Atreus, but I must leave now. The Council is meeting and I cannot be absent. I will see you tomorrow at breakfast.

She vanished before anyone else could speak. Suni turned to Xen.

"She is scared," Xen said softly. "More scared than she has ever been. Her mind was racing and full of confusion, but I thought I heard something about deaths.

Suni's eyes widened. "Is someone hunting the Guardians?

Atreus shook his head. "Don't jump to conclusions, Suni. Alyna will tell us tomorrow morning. Until then, we should just let her sort things out.

Suni nodded, hating to be helpless. The bell rang, and the cadets began to move out of the biosphere. Suni, Atreus, and Xen headed for the library where Tethys would join them for Study Hall. Suni found her mind racing. She could think of nothing but Alyna, and worry about what was going on.

Alyna soared through space faster than she had ever moved before. She teleported great distances, then swam to conserve her strength. The Guardian Council met far from any inhabited planet or moon, and the trip from the centre of UPP space was long.

As she moved, she saw another Guardian moving toward her from her right side. Alyna turned her head to see who it was, knowing that her people rarely traveled together. She recognized the black and white cloak streaming out from behind the Guardian, and slowed her pace. In no time, Gyana caught up to her daughter.

_Mother_, Alyna said with some surprise, _why are you attending the Council?_

_I may be an exile_, Gyana replied with a slight smile, _but I am no traitor. If I can do something to help, I will_.

Alyna smiled. As much as she enjoyed the solitude of space, she was comfortable with another body close by. The two Guardians traveled in silence for quite some time until Gyana suddenly stopped. Alyna slowed and turned to see where her mother pointed.

A ship sat in the middle of an asteroid field. Its shield glowed weakly as it was pelted with small stones. Alyna switched on her communication's system and scanned for distress calls. She quickly found the one emanating from the ship before her.

_We must help_, Gyana said, moving toward the ship.

_The Council will not wait_, Alyna objected.

_Our first duty is always to those who travel through space_, Gyana reminded her.

With a mental sigh, Alyna followed her mother to the ship. She waited as Gyana hailed the vessel, and promised help. The two Guardians gently moved the ship out of the asteroid field, keeping the stones away from it as they did. Next, Alyna began to fix the engine while Gyana repaired the shields.

Alyna removed the first panel and blinked in surprise. The engine damage was not extensive, and it appeared to have been done by someone, not something. Alyna could see no reason why the ship was dead in the water.

_Mother_, she said hesitantly. _This does not feel right to me_.

Gyana looked up from her work on the shield generator. _Nor me, my daughter, but we must do what we can._

_The damage was not made by the nature of space, or by laser fire_, Alyna said more urgently. _It looks intentional. The ship can still fly_.

Gyana closed the hatch and motioned with her head for Alyna to take off. The younger Guardian nodded and began to move off into space. Suddenly, she felt as if she had hit something. Cautiously, she stretched out an arm and felt the shield in front of her. Turning full circle, she saw that she was trapped in some sort of shield bubble. She tried to teleport, but found she could not. Frantically, she looked for her mother and saw that Gyana, too, was caught.

"Greetings, my little fish," the voice of the ship's captain said over her communications device. "There's quite a reward out for you space fish, did you know that? You two will make me a rich man.

He began to laugh as his engines roared to life. With Alyna and Gyana begin pulled behind, the ship launched itself into space.

"ThreeÉ twoÉ one," Tethys counted.

Suni frowned in worry. Once again, Alyna had missed her 0825 arrival time, and Atreus had inhaled his breakfast for no reason. This time, however, Suni did not expect Alyna to arrive late. Something was horribly wrong.

"Suni, we have to go to class," Atreus was saying.

Suni shook her head. "Sorry. I'm worried about Alyna. She wasn't herself yesterday. What if something went wrong at the Council?

"She did say she would be at breakfast," Xen added. "Wouldn't she contact us if she was going to miss it?

Tethys' eyes started to fill with worry as she looked at Atreus. He sighed. "We'll send out a signal at Study Hall," he promised.

Suni nodded and joined the flow of students heading for class, the others following close behind. Atreus took a long, lingering look at the table where they had just eaten, wishing Alyna would show up late as she did yesterday. He waited as long as he could before running from the cafeteria to his first class of the day.

Atreus and Xen met Suni and Tethys at their dorm room instead of at their usual table in the library. It had been difficult for them to sneak out of Study Hall, but it turned out that Xen was a very good actor and convinced the supervisor that he had eaten more bad fruit. After that, it had been easy for Atreus to volunteer to bring his ill friend to the med lab. The girl's dorm room was not far from there.

Atreus knocked gently and could hear the heart beats as well as the movements of his friends inside. A second later, the door opened and the two boys slipped inside. Tethys closed the door behind them and they gathered around Suni's desk. The Mercurian-Uranusian was sending a repeated message on Alyna's usual communications frequency. She sat with headphones over her ears, scanning the numerous signals for her friend. The others sat down in the room and waited in silence. Minutes later, Suni put down her headphones and sighed.

"Nothing," she said. "Not a single beep. It's like she turned her communicator off or something.

"She'd never do that," Tethys objected. She turned to Atreus. "What else could block the signal?

Atreus shrugged. "A bunch of things. Radiation, meteor storm, force fields, broken satellite, black hole

"Wait, what did you say before?" Suni interrupted.

"Broken satellite?" Atreus repeated. "Meteor storm?

"Yeah, that one," Suni said. "Maybe she got stuck in a meteor storm. What if she's hurt?

"Should we go after her?" Xen asked, his wings quivering.

Suni nodded. "But not now. We have something more important to deal with first.

"Stealing a ship?" Tethys asked.

"Escaping Starcademy undetected?" Atreus guessed.

"No," Suni replied. "Class.

At 2000 hours, after dinner had been finished and the cadets of Starcademy were free to pursue their own interests, four shadows descended into the bowels of the school where the training ships were stored. Suni had obtained a two hour pass to practice her flying, which gave them very little time to track down their missing friend. All four cadets knew that if they were not in bed by lights out, they would not be able to return until the next morning. If that happened, there was no way they could avoid being discovered.

Suni slid into the pilot's chair of the small ship and rubbed her hands eagerly. Xen and Atreus crammed into the passenger chair behind her, normally designed for one person, while Tethys stayed behind to open and close the air lock. They had had to draw straws to see who would stay behind, and the Neptunian had been pouting since dinner.

"All clear," Tethys reported over the radio. "Is everyone buckled in?

"Powering up engines now," Suni said, flicking some switches. She glanced over her shoulder at her friends. "Comfy?

"Just hurry up," Atreus grumbled as he gently pushed Xen's wing out of his face.

"Decompressing airlock," Tethys said. "Make sure you stay in communications range and avoid the UPP patrol ships.

"No problem," Suni replied. "Wish us luck.

Tethys did and the small two-person ship gently rolled out of the airlock and into open space. Suni eased her around the school, circling the facility once before heading deeper into space. Xen had his eyes locked on the window, his wings shimmering in anticipation. He had never been in a ship like this one before; his only spatial journal had been in a windowless transport ship from Earth to Starcademy. Suni did a few barrel rolls for his benefit before soaring away from the school.

"We're passing the boundary markers," Suni reported to Tethys.

"No problem," Tethys replied. "I'm jamming the satellite now. No one will notice you've gone.

The trio in the ship held their breath for a moment, waiting for the call to come ordering them to return to Starcademy space. When none came, Suni turned to flash a smile at her passengers.

"Hang on, boys," she said. "We're going to have to make this quick.

She pushed the throttle as far as it would go, and the small ship shot through space following Alyna's last know direction.

They searched for quite some time without luck. Space seemed eerily empty, even for space. There weren't the usual cargo vessels or large war ships to avoid, and the one space station they passed seemed abandoned except for a large, unmarked frigate. Suni slowed her ship down almost to a stand still.

"This is giving me the creeps," Suni remarked.

"What's wrong?" Tethys questioned over the radio.

"No one is out here," Suni said. "It's like space shut down for the evening.

"Maybe there's a convention," Atreus joked.

"You're almost out of time," Tethys reminded her friends. "Maybe you should head back now.

"Okay," Suni replied. "I just want to circle around that asteroid over there, then we'll head home.

She eased the ship into motion again, heading straight for a large asteroid that had been caught in the orbit of a dying star. The rock was almost as large as a small moon, and Suni thought if a Guardian were injured or in trouble, this would be the place where they would hide.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Suni told her passengers. "Tethys, I'm going to turn off the radio for a minute to scan for Alyna's frequency.

"Okay," Tethys agreed, "but hurry back.

Suni fiddled with the controls as her ship rounded the edge of the asteroid. Behind her, Xen gasped and Suni raised her eyes. A huge fleet of ships were hiding behind the asteroid. They looked like a junk yard since every ship was different, but Suni quickly saw they all had one thing in common Ð each was painted with a space pirate symbol.

"Suni," Atreus said. "Get us out of here!

As Suni attempted to turn the ship, a few of the pirate ships broke away from the fleet to intercept them. They cut off Suni's retreat and soon the small Starcademy ship was surrounded by six pirate ships.

The communicator began to beep.

"Ignore it," Atreus advised. "Maybe they'll leave us alone.

A laser shot exploded past their ship so close that all three cadets ducked instinctively.

"Then again," Atreus gulped. "Maybe not.

"Hang on," Suni said, gripping the controls, "I'm going to try to get around them.

"Shields up," Atreus reported, "but I don't think they'll do a lot of good. This is a pretty old ship.

Another laser shot headed toward them and Suni expertly rolled the ship out of its path. The pirate vessel on her other side, however, was not as fortunate. The laser shot struck one of the ships on the wing and it was forced to retreat.

"That one is leaving," Xen exclaimed. "One down, five to go.

The remaining ships began to inch closer. Suni angled the ship and dove straight down, turning sharply to disappear beneath the ships. A few of the pirate were too quick for that trick and Suni was pushed further away from escape. She retreated into the dying star.

"Where are you going?" Atreus demanded. "We can't survive in a star with these shields!

"No back seat driving," Suni snapped. "I'm trying to shake these pirates.

Xen's wings fluttered nervously, slapping Atreus in the face. The Andromedan pushed them aside irritably, ignoring Xen's apologetic looks.

Suni continued her bee line for the star, the five pirate ships hot on her heels. Atreus monitored the shields nervously as Xen watched the pirates get closer and closer. At one point, it seemed as if Suni were slowing down to let the pirates catch up. Suddenly, Suni angled the ship again and shot straight upwards. The first of the pirate pursuers was not quick enough to follow her lead and headed straight into the star. Another pirate ship was caught in the explosion of the first.

"Three left," Xen reported, "and they're gaining on us.

"I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve," Suni assured her friends. "I didn't win the Starbase 7 Free Fly for no reason!

"Free Fly?" Xen asked curiously.

"Tricks with a ship," Atreus explained. "But if I'm not mistaken, the ship you were piloting was small and designed for that kind of flying.

"Technicalities, my friend," Suni replied, cutting him short. "Here we go!

Suni dropped her ship into a barrel roll, heading for the asteroid. The three pirate ship were still behind her, firing often at the dodging ship. Suni let out a whoop as she pulled her ship up short from crashing onto the asteroid's surface. She zigzagged around craters and mountains, and wove in and out of caves.

"Lost another one," Xen reported happily. "He clipped his wing on a cliff.

"Ever wanted to see the centre of an asteroid?" Suni asked.

"Why do you ask?" Atreus said suspiciously.

Suni smiled at him and dove the ship into an underground tunnel. She wove her way expertly through the cavern, avoiding stalactites and stalagmites as she flew.

"How do you know this isn't a dead end?" Atreus asked.

"Pilot's intuition," Suni replied. "It's never steered me wrong.

"Like the time you borrowed your dad's ship and nearly vaporized us in that nebula?" Atreus shot back.

"Another one gone," Xen cried, clapping his hands. "He hit one of those rocks growing from the ground.

"Stalagmite," Suni corrected absently. "We're not out of the woods yet.

She dipped and dove again until just ahead of them they saw the glitter of starlight. Atreus smiled as Suni steered the ship toward the exit. Behind them, more laser fire threatened to destroy their escape.

"If that exit collapses," Suni said, "we're going to crash.

"Leave it to me," Xen said. He disappeared through a dimensional portal. Atreus tried to stop him, but was too late. A few seconds later, Xen returned with a smug look on his face.

"What did you do?" Atreus asked.

"I took this from his ship," Xen replied, holding up some wires and circuitry. "Do you think he needed it?

The ship behind them sputtered and fell like a stone, exploding on impact. The small Starcademy ship rode the shock wave out of the asteroid and back into open space. Suni didn't bother to slow down as she rocketed straight to Starcademy. As an afterthought, she turned the radio back on.

".. kill you! Suni! Answer me!" Tethys was yelling.  
"Calm down," Suni said. "We're here. We just had to shake half a dozen space pirates when we accidentally stumbled on their secret fleet.

"Space pirates?" Tethys exclaimed.

"Yeah," Atreus added. "You might want to get Uncle Harlan on the phone. He's probably going to want to know about this.

Alyna glided back and forth across her cage. The ship that had caught them had been towing them for days across space. Alyna knew they were heading back toward the fringes of UPP space and she constantly scanned the stars for signs of UPP ships. Her communicator, she discovered early on, didn't work while inside the force field. Frustrated, she had no choice but to allow herself to be pulled along like a fish in a net.

The pirate took them to a large space station. The ship didn't dock at the actual station, however, but maneuvered his ship around to dock against a large frigate. Alyna scanned the ship for familiar markings but found none. Turning her attention away from the ship, she looked around for landmarks.

The station was close to a dying star with a large asteroid caught in its orbit. Alyna's expert eye judged the star not too far from going super nova. She would have to remember to remind the UPP government in a century or so to evacuate this area. There was nothing around which would make Alyna think they were close to help. She sank to the bottom of her cage and sat, her tail stretched out in front of her, swishing impatiently.

Across from her, Gyana watched her hatchling's growing despair. She moved to the edge of her own force field bubble and smiled at the younger Guardian.

_Fear not,_ Gyana said. _The Council is in session and our absence will be noted. The others will carry on._

Alyna looked up in surprise. _That is not what I am worried about. These pirate pose a threat to my planet-dwelling friends. I must help them!_

Gyana sighed. _I had hoped to spare you those unnecessary emotions, daughter. You have spent too much time in their company already._

Alyna shook her head. _I may be losing the old ways, but I am learning to much, mother. It was not a mistake to send me among them._

Gyana's response was cut off as the pirate ship began to move again. They headed for the asteroid and, as they rounded it, Alyna gasped. There was a large pirate fleet hidden in the radiation of the dying star. The pirate ship moved through the assembled fleet, closer to the star. There, the two Guardians saw several portable force field generators set up, all pointing at an area of space where dozens of Guardians were being held. The pirate ship roughly past Alyna and Gyana into the prison, and they were able once more to join their fellow Guardians.

_I am frightened_, Alyna admitted, looking around their new environment.

_All will be well_, Gyana assured her. _They cannot capture us all_.

_But they have already caught many of us_, Alyna argued, looking around the prison. The Guardians soared about as separately as they possibly could. The small space made it almost impossible for any of the lone Guardians to keep their distance.

_We must escape_, Gyana said with determination. _We must warn Harlan and the others_.

_I must contact my friends,_ Alyna added. _They will be worried if I do not return._

The two newest prisoners began to swim through the prison, looking at the other Guardians who had the misfortune of helping a pirate on their way to the Council. It was not long before Alyna found someone she recognized. He recognized her as well.

_The planet-dweller!_ he said somewhat mockingly, moving over to where she waited.

It was the same young male with the green tail, long red hair, and blue skin who had tried to stop her as she followed Radu and the pirate Nemesis to the Star of the Galaxy.

_Did the pirates go to your planet to catch you?_ he asked.

Alyna crossed her arms angrily. _No, they did not. I was summoned to the Council the same as you. I am a Guardian as well!_

The red haired young man held his hand in mock surrender, his green tail swishing playfully. _I apologize. I am called Avar._

_I am Alyna_, Alyna said. _I apologize as well for being angry_.

Avar smiled. _I should have been more courteous to you. It is rare that another enters my space, especially a female as lovely as you_.

Alyna was flattered, but pushed the sensation firmly away. This was not the time or place to think such thoughts.

_We must escape this place and warn the planet-dwellers_, Alyna said.

_Have you not heard?_ Avar asked. _The Council was called to inform all Guardians to leave their sectors. We are leaving those who have betrayed us._

_ You mean_É Alyna gasped.

Avar nodded. _The Great Move to another Galaxy where we are unknown. The elders realized the mistake of letting the planet-dwellers know too much. Now we are all in danger from them. It is time to start again._

Suni, Atreus, Xen, and Tethys stood in front of Principal Wharncliffe's desk, each doing their best to look apologetic. They had tried to explain the situation to the head of Starcademy, and Principal Wharncliffe had taken their warning seriously. Admiral Band and the UPP had been warned about the gathering of space pirates, but that did not excuse the cadets from breaking the rules.

"What were you thinking?" Wharncliffe asked for the hundredth time.

Suni shuffled her feet and licked her lips. "Alyna 

"Is a student at this school and her absence should have been reported," Wharncliffe finished. She sighed. "Really, Suni, I expected better from you. From all of you.

Xen's wings drooped and Tethys frowned prettily. Atreus was staring at his hands which were folded in front of him. Principal Wharncliffe handed each of them a compupad.

"What's this?" Suni asked.

"We're grounded?" Atreus exclaimed.

"You're lucky you're not expelled," Wharncliffe said. "Each of you are to report to your rooms after dinner and are confined to the study hall during free periods. None of you will leave this school without my permission. Is this understood?

The four cadets muttered "yeah".

Principal Wharncliffe nodded. "Good. You are all dismissed.

Suni kicked a pine cone across the biosphere and spun around on her heel. She didn't even bother to see how far it went, or who it hit, as it arched through the air. Xen watched the pinecone fly, his wings quivering in anticipation of once again being airborne, as he sat on a low branch of the tree. Atreus and Tethys sat beneath him. Tethys watched her friend pace, Atreus stared at the compupad.

"I can't believe it," he said. "What about Alyna?

"Uncle Harlan is looking into it," Suni said bitterly. "We're not to get involved.

"But she is our friend!" Xen objected. "I miss our conversations.

Tethys rose to her feet in a fluid, graceful motion. "Perhaps this is for the best. The UPP is much better equipped than we are, and we have been on a lot of adventures lately. Someone else will find her.

"Not someone else," Suni said, halting her pacing to look up at Xen. "We're going to find her. Xen, come down here!

"How?" Tethys asked. "We're trapped at school.

"We're not going anywhere," Suni smiled. She put her hand on Xen's shoulder. The Vyrillian looked nervous.

"You said you speak to her with your mind, right?" Suni asked her newest friend. Xen nodded somewhat reluctantly. "Well, can't you use your mind to find her? Send your consciousness out for a stroll?

"If you're referring to my mother's ability," Xen said, "I'm afraid I can't do that.

Suni seemed to deflate. "We tried, anyway.

"But I am able to extend my thoughts a long distance, as is the custom with my people when they're traveling through dimensions," Xen added.

Suni brightened again. "What are we waiting for?

Xen smiled somewhat nervously and sat down on the ground. Suni sat beside him, eagerly awaiting news. Xen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, sending his thoughts soaring. Being unfamiliar with space, he found himself following roughly the same path they had taken in the ship the night before. At the edge of his abilities, he reached the asteroid. Exhausted, he pulled his thoughts back and fell forward, only to find that Atreus had caught him before he hit the ground. He opened his eyes.

"Careful," Atreus murmured.

"Well?" Suni asked. "Did you find anything?

Xen shook his head. "Only the pirates behind the asteroid. I thought I heard conversation as well, but I can't be certain.

"Conversation in space?" Suni repeated, her eyes lighting up.

"I can't be certain," Xen said tiredly.

"Suni, remember we're grounded," Tethys reminded her friend.

Suni pouted. "Of course. As cadets, we're confined to Starcademy.

"I don't like where this is going," Atreus sighed.

"But if we're something other than cadets, like, for example, space pirates," Suni continued, ignoring her friend, "we can go wherever we like.

"Like to the asteroid!" Tethys remarked with a smile.

Atreus shook his head. "No way. I had a hard enough time convincing people I wasn't a traitor last time Suni decided to play make-believe. We should let the UPP handle this one. Alyna will be find.

"How do you know?" Suni asked.

Atreus flushed. "I just do. We're going to get expelled.

"But Ð " Suni began.

"No buts. Uncle Harlan won't let Alyna die. If the pirates have her, she'll be safe in no time once the UPP fleet goes to the asteroid.

Suni said nothing but the dark glare she gave the Andromedan was words enough. Atreus rose to his feet, trying to keep himself from apologizing. He knew he was right. Alyna would be fine. She'd survived for centuries without them.

"Come on," he said gruffly. "We'll be late for class.

"And we all know that school is much more important than our friend's life," Suni snapped as she walked past him.

Atreus halted in mid step and took a deep breath. Alyna would be fine.

Alyna was not fine. The space pirate had reduced the size of the force field that held the captive Guardians until it was so tight that she and Avar were practically on top of one another. The Guardians complained bitterly, each telling the other that they should have Moved years ago. Not only that, but they kept Gyana and Alyna as far away from themselves as possible, referring to them as traitors and blaming them for the planet-dwellers' knowledge.

_What are they planning?_ Alyna asked her mother.

Gyana shook her head. A humanoid habit she had picked up during her time with the UPP. _I do not know. They will want to dispose of us, I believe. We are in danger._

_My friends will save us,_ Alyna said confidently.

_Your friends are cadets, and limited by the UPP_, Gyana said. _They do not know where we are, only that we are missing. It is a large galaxy for the planet-dwellers._

_Then we must escape without their aid_, Alyna decided. _We must break free of the force field that holds us and destroy the pirate fleet._

Gyana shook her head. _We cannot get free, my daughter. We cannot destroy the fleet. Our race is doomed._

A large frigate suddenly rose before them. The force field that held the Guardians began to move as the frigate did. It was towing them somewhere else. Helpless, the Guardians were taken away from the space pirate fleet, towards the unknown.

_They will dispose of us, _Gyana repeated sadly.

Alyna watched UPP space disappear behind them as the frigate brought them to their demise.

It was five days later when the cadets at Starcademy finally received news about the space pirates. Admiral Band had sent out a small portion of the fleet to deal with the menace, heading to the asteroid where Suni had reported the space pirates to be hidden. There had been a brief battle and the pirate fleet had been mostly destroyed. The remaining ships either fled or surrendered. Admiral Band declared it a victory for the UPP, and no more was said on the subject.

"What about the Guardians?" Suni asked the holo-film that projected the news.

"Why don't we call home and ask?" Tethys suggested. "Maybe Uncle Harlan didn't want to announce the Guardians to the whole of the UPP.

"Why didn't Alyna come back?" Xen asked quietly. "If the UPP freed her, why hasn't she returned?

Atreus said nothing. He and Suni were still not on speaking terms, even though the pirates had been destroyed. This whole ordeal had the same stink as the other problems created by the mysterious Master. He had tried to turn Andromedans against the Spung, restart the Neptunian civil wars, cut Yensid off from the UPP, and now was turning the Guardians against the planet-dwellers they once protected. He shook his head.

"The Master has her," he said quietly.

Xen turned. "The Master?

Suni's eyes widened. "Then we have to go find her and the other Guardians.

"Unless we're too late," Tethys remarked. "No trace of them were found.

"She's got to still be alive," Suni said to herself. "She's got to be. They're all still alive and it's up to us. We're the only ones who know!

She looked at Atreus imploringly. Tethys and Xen did as well. The Andromedan sat motionless for a while, his arms cross across his chest and his head bowed. Finally, he nodded. Suni gave a whoop of excitement and hugged Xen. As the Vyrillian turned lavender, Atreus raised his eyes to meet Suni's.

"But this time, we ask permission first.

Suni nodded.

Principal Wharncliffe had been reluctant to give them a craft, but had eventually agreed once Admiral Band had pushed the subject. As the UPP's leading experts on Guardian behaviour, he decided that Suni and her friends were perfectly suited to track down the missing Guardians. Suni had done her best not to appear smug to the principal once the admiral's decision had been made, but somehow she couldn't help it. They were given a shuttle and supplies, and a week's leave from school.

Suni slid into the pilot's seat and smiled. Gripping the controls, she went through the pre-flight check list. Atreus did the systems check while Tethys sorted through their supplies. Xen hovered around the ship, not knowing what do to, but he was too excited to sit down. Finally they were ready to take off.

"One question," Tethys asked as Suni did a quick trip around Starcademy. "Where are we going?

Suni blinked in surprise. "You know, I hadn't thought of that.

Atreus grinned. "I figured as much. Head to the asteroid where we found the pirate fleet. If there are any clues, they'll be there.

"What kind of clues?" Xen asked.

"We don't even know how they're holding the Guardians," Tethys added.

Suni's eyes widened. "You don't think they just shot them on sight, do you?

The shuttle went quiet as Suni neared the asteroid. Visions of dead Guardians floating in space filled Suni's imagination, and she felt sick to her stomach. She slowed the craft down, hesitating to go the final step to where the fleet had been. She was trying to prepare herself for what she might see.

"Ready guys?" her voice sounded weak.

Atreus nodded grimly. Tethys had sat down, but said nothing. Xen's wings fluttered with dread. Taking a deep breath, Suni eased the UPP craft around the final turn and looked away. She heard Atreus gasp and Xen groan before she could bring herself to look.

The area was completely deserted. No ships, no bodies, nothing.

Suni felt as if a huge weight were lifted off of her. She exhaled slowly, relaxing her tense muscles and grinned at her friends. The Guardians had not been slaughtered. There was still hope for Alyna. She gripped the controls.

"Okay. Plan B, anyone?

"Shhh!" Tethys hushed.

Suni turned around in her seat to see Tethys hunched over the communications systems. She was listening intently to what seemed to be static to Suni's ears.

"I'm scanning all frequencies," Tethys told them. "Guardian, UPP, andÉ unlisted.

"Unlisted?" Atreus asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tethys almost blushed. "Uncle Radu told me about the signals space pirates used to communicate together. Maybe we'll get lucky.

Xen smiled at Suni, hoping that the slim chance would bring them to their friend. Sitting down on the floor of the cabin, he closed his eyes and stretched out his thoughts.

"I senseÉ fear," he reported. "Not far from here

Tethys adjusted her dials. "Hang on, I may have something.

She flicked a switch and the ship was soon filled with unknown voices.

"... from the sun, cold enough for them but still livable," the voice was saying.

"They are to remain alive," another voice ordered.

Atreus sat up straighter. "That's him! The Master!

"Are you sure?" Suni whispered.

"I'll never forget that voice," Atreus said.

"Shhh!" Tethys hissed.

"É them down, set up the perimeter, and we're all set. A few months of planet life ought to teach those space fish to stay out of our business," the first voice laughed.

"Without them, the UPP won't stand a chance when the time comes," the Master added. "Well done. See to it.

The line went dead. Xen blinked and rubbed his eyes. Tethys turned off the link and sat back in her chair. They were all silent for a moment, absorbing the impact of what was overheard and wondering what to do next.

"They're on a planet," Suni said finally. "The Master has put them all on a planet.

"Can they survive?" Xen asked hesitantly. "Alyna does fine at school.

"Not for a month," Suni replied. "They need to eat nutrient from space, and they don't like each other. Alyna told me Guardians rarely speak to one another, except during Council. They'll die in a week!

"Well," Atreus remarked, turning back to the navigation console. "They shouldn't be too hard to find. A hospitable planet, far from a sun, with a space pirate perimeter around it. Xen, where did you get those feelings of fear from?

"A galaxy closer to the Deianira system," Xen replied.

"We'll start there," Suni decided. "Hang on Alyna, we're coming!

Alyna stood on shaky legs on the planet where they had been dumped. Around her, dozens of Guardians were lying still. Some had transformed their tails to legs, but others found they could no longer do it, having lost the ability. Most of them had never been on a planet before and found the pressure of the atmosphere unbearable. Others were terrified by the sound of moving air, and by the plants that grew from the ground. They huddled together in an un-Guardian like fashion, hiding from the dirt, the water, the plants, and the wind. Alyna was sympathetic, but had little patience for their unwarranted fears.

_Nothing here can hurt you_, she told them telepathically. Most could not speak using their vocal chords. _We must escape or else we'll die._

_We can't escape from the atmosphere,_ one Guardian wailed. _We can't break free of gravity, and we have no ship to bring us back to space._

_ A ship will come_, Alyna promised, wishing she felt as confident as she sounded. _The UPP will come._

Alyna looked over to where her mother was standing, helping Avar learn to use his legs. He was having great trouble with the concept of gravity and was always falling down. Gyana looked up at her daughter and shrugged, a planet-dweller expression. Alyna shook her head and looked up at the sky. The UPP would come. Her friends would come.

"Bingo," Atreus said, smiling to himself. "The planet Nessus. Fifth planet from their sun, cold, yet still supports life.

"How far?" Xen asked.

"We'll be there in no time," Suni promised. "Let's see how fast this ship can fly.

Suni increased their speed and it wasn't long before Atreus was picking up the pirate perimeter on his sensors. Suni slowed down and the small UPP ship crept forward into pirate space.

"That must be it," Xen said as he stared out the window at the planet.

The space around the planet was full of pirate ships, patrolling the upper atmosphere. A large frigate was positioned near the planet's single moon, like a king on his throne, watching the smaller ships. Suni positioned her craft behind the moon and out of view of the pirates.

"Okay," she said. "Time for a plan. We need to get down on the planet, load up the Guardians, and back into space.

"Without being blown to smithereens," Tethys added pointedly.

"Which means we need to take out the frigate," Atreus mused. "I'd bet that without that ship, the little ships would be disorganized and easy to get past.

"We're going to destroy it?" Xen asked incredulously, his wings quivering slightly.

Atreus shook his head. "Not destroy it, just É disable it. For a few hours.

Suni nodded. "Okay. Xen, can you teleport onto the frigate from here?

"Probably," Xen said hesitantly, "but if my calculations are off, I'll end up in the middle of empty space. Dimension travel isn't like teleporting.

Tethys paled. "I don't think we can risk that.

"We'll do it the old fashioned way," Suni decided. "Atreus, can you jam their radar so they can't see us?

The Andromedan nodded confidently. Suni grinned, getting more excited as her plan unfolded in her mind. Leaning close, she began to quickly outline her plan to her friends.

The Guardians were growing restless. They had been trapped for nearly 7 days without food. Alyna had been carrying some nutritional supplements in her cloak, which she used if she was trapped in Starcademy for long periods of time, but they had barely been enough to feed the dozens of Guardians. They were dying, and as they died, the Guardians became more and more determined to abandon this galaxy for another. By the fifth day, Alyna found herself almost thinking like them.

_We were safe_, the eldest of the species argued. _We were legend and myth to the planet-dwellers, and we were not troubled. Now look at us!_

_ They want to use us for their own petty politics_, another agreed.

_We've become pawns in a game we should not be playing,_ yet another spoke up.

_If we escape, the Council will convene,_ the eldest decided.

_When we escape, _ Alyna corrected absently.

The elder Guardian shot her a disgusted look. _The Council will convene and we will begin the Great Move. All Guardians will depart. _

He looked pointedly at Alyna as he said his last comment. Alyna found herself turning away from his gaze. She knew she could not leave her friends. Was she prepared to disobey the Council and her entire species?

Gyana regarded her daughter sadly. Even though she no longer associated with the planet-dwellers, she understood what Alyna was feeling. It would be a difficult choice for the young Guardian to make. To abandon those she loved and had vowed to protect, or to obey her elders and leave the galaxy forever.

Avar stood some distance away, also watching Alyna wrestle with her thoughts. He had come to know and respect the planet-dwelling Guardian during their imprisonment, and he knew he would be sad without her close by. He sighed mentally and wondered what his own decision would be.

Suni eased the shuttle next to the docking bay of the frigate. As they extended the landing ramp and waited for the airlock to decompress, she smiled encouragingly at Atreus and Xen. The two boys were getting ready to sneak onto the frigate and destroy the communications satellite. The plan was that, with the satellite gone, Suni and Tethys would be able to land safely on the planet and rescue the Guardians. Atreus and Xen would have to steal a ship or escape to another dimension and meet up with the girls later. Tethys had pointed out the plan was full of holes, but it was the best they could come up with. Now Suni watched as her best friend and almost cousin disappeared into danger.

"Phase one complete," she muttered to herself. "Now we wait.

Tethys looked grimly at her friend as the UPP shuttle left the frigate and returned to its hiding place behind the moon.

Atreus and Xen crept cautiously through the corridors of the frigate. The Andromedan had studied the basic design of this time of ship in class, and he thought he could find the controls for the satellite without much trouble. He used his keen hearing and unerring sense of direction to lead them into the bowls of the ship without being detected.

Or so he thought.

As he pushed open the door to what he had hoped was the communications room, he suddenly found himself confronted by three space pirates leveling blasters at his head and chest. He heard Xen gasp as the two of them froze in place. The lead pirate laughed and gestured with his blaster for them to follow him. Atreus felt his stomach sink as he and Xen were taken away.

"It's been too long," Tethys said as she paced across the ship. "Something's wrong.

"Patience," Suni told her for the forth time. "It's only been a few hours.

"How will we know if they've succeeded?" Tethys asked.

"The satellite will go boom. Simple.

"And if it doesn't?

"We're down three friends and we go back to Starcademy in defeat.

Xen and Atreus stood before the pirate leader. They were unrestrained, but escape was impossible. Pirate guards stood at every exit, holding blasters that they seemed eager to use. Xen's wings fluttered nervously and he kept his black eyes lowered to the floor. The last thing he wanted to see what the pirate responsible for the kidnapped Guardians.

Atreus stared boldly at the silhouetted form of the pirate leader, listening carefully for anything that might betray his identity. The leader was making it difficult, however. He was seated completely in darkness, surrounded by armed pirate who were staring distastefully at the two captives.

"We meet again," the leader said. "The young Andromedan Ð Atreus, is it not? Ð and Xen, the strange teleport.

Atreus was not as surprised as Xen at being recognized. He could almost hear the smile in the Master's voice. Once again, the Master had the upper hand, leading Atreus and his friends around by their noses. The Andromedan clenched one fist in restrained anger.

"What brings such young cadets to Nessus?" the Master continued. "Have the UPP fishing holes dried up?

The pirates around the room laughed. Xen moved closer to his friend, but Atreus didn't budge. He glared at the shadowed figure with pure hatred.

"Show yourself, coward!" he challenged.

The Master chuckled. "The rashness of youth. In good time, Atreus. Soon, all will become clear, to you and to the UPP.

Atreus blinked, taken aback by the statement. What was the Master planning?

"However, you and your friends are becoming too troublesome," the voice turned sinister. Atreus heard Xen's heart rate jump.

Firm hands grabbed Xen, and Atreus felt a blaster lodged between his shoulder blades. He glanced over at his friend, willing him to disappear into another dimension, but he seemed too scared to think clearly.

"Toss them into space," the Master ordered, "but give them helmets and a minute of air. Make it look like a failed escape.

The pirates laughed, and the sound chilled Atreus to the bone. He felt the blaster pushing deeper into his skin, causing him to stumble forward. They were herded out of the room and into the hall by two pirates. Atreus tried to keep his eyes on Xen, and to keep the mission in his mind. It needed to be finished, or else Alyna and the Guardians Ð and possibly Suni and Tethys Ð would all be dead as well.

They stopped in front of what looked like a storage closet. One pirate opened the door and shoved Xen inside. Atreus followed, and the heavy door was slammed shut. A bar was lodged beneath the doorknob, keeping them inside the dark closet.

"We'll be back when your helmets are ready," the pirates laughed.

Atreus felt Xen grab hold of his sleeve as he waited for the pirates to walk out of earshot. The minutes seemed endless until Atreus finally thought it was safe. Smiling reassuringly to Xen, he knocked down the door with one punch, catching it before it hit the ground. He waited as the Vyrillian scurried into the hall, then fitted the door back in place as best he could. It seemed normal, except the pipe used to lock them in was warped out of shape, and there was a fist shaped dent where Atreus had struck it. Xen stared in surprise, and Atreus shrugged sheepishly.

"We've got to get moving," he whispered. "Come on!

Xen nodded, moving quickly after the Andromedan. He was in a bit of shock after seeing his friend use his strength. It was not something Atreus commonly did, and the amount of power he possessed frightened Xen a little.

The two escapees crept down the corridor, Atreus listening to the ship and its crew to avoid detection. The two pirates had realized their captives were lose, but had decided against telling their boss. Instead, the two of them were combing the ship. Atreus could easily avoid them, and in the meantime was frantically looking for the communications room. He was well aware of the time they had lost in their meeting with the Master, and every second lost was another second closer to their friends being discovered. They descended deeper into the frigate.

Suddenly, Atreus stopped and his eyes looked around as if he were trying to pinpoint a sound. Xen glanced around too, looking for whatever it was that Atreus had heard. The Andromedan grabbed his friend by the sleeve and pulled him to one side.

"Quick!" he hissed. "In here!

Pulling the door open with one hand, he used the other to shove Xen inside. Atreus followed and closed the door quietly behind them. They waited in silence for several minutes. A flurry of footsteps ran down the hallway just outside the door. Xen closed his eyes and tried to calm his pounding heart. Behind him, Atreus placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. The footsteps soon died away, and the refugees were able to move and look around.

They were in a very large room, full of pipes and tubing. Xen wandered aimlessly around, but to Atreus' trained eye, they had stumbled onto a jackpot. He smiled broadly and walked up to a large piece of machinery.

"What do we do now?" Xen asked.

Atreus glanced at him. The Vyrillian was trying hard to sound normal, but he seemed very small and scared, his wings flattened against his back and his hands clasped in front of him. Atreus grinned and patted the machine in front of him.

"Relax, we've lucked out," Atreus said. "This machine powers the whole ship. Without it, this whole frigate will be space junk.

Xen waited for his friend to continue, clearly not understanding. Atreus rolled his eyes.

"We just need to smash the grid and generator, and Suni will be able to get through," he tried again.

"No power?" Xen asked.

"None. Completely dark.

"No back up power either?

"Nope.

"What about life support?

Atreus sighed. He had hoped his friend would forget about that.

"We'll have to try to reach an escape pod before all the air is gone," Atreus said. "This ship is huge, so it shouldn't disappear immediately. Or you'll have to blip us to another dimension.

Xen still looked hesitant.

"Do you have a better idea?" Atreus asked, sounding like Suni.

Xen shook his head and sighed. He stood back as Atreus began to sabotage the power grid and the back up generator beside it. One by one, the lights disappeared until they were in blackness.

"Mission complete," Atreus said. "It's up to Suni and Tethys now. Come on, let's get out of here.

Finding Xen's hand in the dark, Atreus used his infallible sense of direction to lead them back the way they had come.

Suni leaned against the control console, one hand holding her chin and the other drumming the hard surface of the console. Their shuttle was still obstructed by the moon, but they could see part of the frigate just out of scanner range. Tethys was seated behind her, monitoring communications from the frigate. They had been waiting in silence for hours.

"Maybe they've Ð " Suni began.

"They're fine!" Tethys snapped.

The Mercurian-Uranusian had been going through numerous scenarios about Atreus and Xen, each one more hopeless than the last. So far, none of them included the boys returning alive. Tethys was getting sick of the game.

The shuttle grew silent again. Tethys sighed.

"Look," she moved to sit next to Suni. She was surprised to see tears forming in her friend's eyes. "They're both fine. If anything serious happened, Xen would warp them both to safety, right?

Suni nodded hesitantly. "It's just Ð this is the most dangerous mission we've ever had to do. Alone in a strange place, surrounded by pirates, with no help in sight and no Plan B just in case.

Tethys rubbed Suni's arm reassuringly and sat back in the chair. The moon loomed in front of them with only the softly illuminated frigate standing between them and the planet where the Guardians were being held. Suni sighed.

"Do you think Alyna's still okay?" she asked quietly. "It's been over a week now.

"She's lived on planets for longer," Tethys replied.

Suni grew quiet and the two friends watched the blinking lights of the frigate. Suddenly, the ship went black. Suni and Tethys both sat up quickly, staring at the frigate. Suni smiled.

"That was a subtle signal," Tethys commented.

"Hang on," Suni said. "We've got a species to rescue!

Atreus carried the unconscious Xen through the corridors of the dying ship. Life support had failed and the remaining air was rapidly fading. The escape pods had all be jettisoned, filled with fleeing pirates, trapping Xen and Atreus behind.

It was getting colder as the frigidness of space made its way into the ship. Atreus felt numb as he forced himself to keep moving. They had to reach the docking bay. They had to find space suits and oxygen. They had to keep moving.

He adjusted Xen over his shoulders, the Vyrillian's body so cold he could be dead. Atreus heard his soft breathing and his slowed heart rate and knew he was alive. He hoped they would survive long enough to signal Suni. He hoped they weren't too late.

Atreus rounded a corner and blinked in surprise and disbelief. There was an escape pod in front of him, and it was empty! He felt hope propelling him forward as salvation grew closer and closer with each awkward step. He was almost there, almost to freedom, almost 

He barely registered the blow as it knocked him to the floor. Xen fell from his back and lay motionless in a heap. Atreus shakily raised his head, gasping for air as if he were drowning. His body was so cold, he couldn't even feel the place he had been struck. Spots floated in his vision, but he saw a figure standing over him wearing a protective suit and helmet.

"Poor Atreus," the Master's voice was muffled. "You should have joined me.

"I would rather die," Atreus gasped.

"It looks like your wish will be granted, Andromedan.

As the Master turned to leave, Atreus caught a brief glimpse of his face through his helmet. Then, as the escape pod fired, he felt the last of his strength fade and he collapsed.

"Atreus

His eyes fluttered open for the briefest of moments. He felt dead, his body cold and emptied of air. Before he lost consciousness again, he saw a face with golden eyes full of concern staring at him.

Suni paced back and forth across the medlab on Starbase 7. Tears poured down her cheeks, but she didn't make a sound. Her mother had already threatened to sedate her if she began to cry again. Suni couldn't help herself. She had felt a profound sense of dread from the moment Xen and Atreus had left, and she had been right. Atreus lay unconscious for nearly two weeks, and Xen was awake, but making a slow recovery.

Suni and Tethys had landed on the planet Nessus and collected the weakened Guardians without incident. When they returned to space and found no signs of Atreus of Xen, Alyna had gone to search the abandoned frigate. The other Guardians, Gyana included, had vanished into space to begin their Council. When Alyna had brought their cold, lifeless bodied on board the shuttle, Suni had raced as fast as the ship could fly to the nearest Starbase.

She hadn't started crying until she had seen her mother's face, then she found the tears wouldn't stop.

Alyna had left immediately after, rejoining the others to attend the Council. She had said nothing about her imprisonment, nor had Suni asked. Her only thoughts were for Xen and Atreus.

Tethys entered the medlab and put her slender arms around Suni's shoulders. Her gaze drifted to where Atreus lay and Xen slept. They both looked so peaceful, yet were close to death. Rosie was doing her best to warm them up without causing tissue damage, and to repair their deoxygenated blood. It was tricky work, but she was the best.

"I made them go," Suni whispered. "If I hadn't had that stupid, foolish plan. If I hadn't insisted that we be the ones to rescue Alyna. If I had just let the UPP handle it

"Then Alyna and hundreds of Guardians would be dead," Tethys said sternly. "You are not to blame. Atreus and Xen knew the risks.

"But did I know?" Suni asked. "It's always been like a game. We go on an adventure, save the day, but everything always works out.

Tethys hugged her friend. "We haven't lost them, and we're not going to. Things will still work out.

Suni shook her head. She couldn't take her eyes from Atreus' face. He had looked like a corpse when Alyna had found them. Tethys worked to revive both of them as Suni flew like a madwoman to find help. Xen had woken up, started to breath on his own, but Atreus

Suni tried to cry but the tears were gone. Her heart ached. She couldn't imagine her life without Atreus. They had been friends forever, since they were infants. He had one broken her crib so they could stay up late at night, and their parents had found them asleep together in a pile of stuffed toys.

"I should have gone alone," Suni said.

"So we could be standing around you in the hospital?" Tethys scolded. "Your life is just as valuable.

"I should have thought of this possibility, been prepared. I should have Ð 

"Suni Ianni," Tethys interrupted, "if you say Ôshould have' on more time, I'll Ð 

"Hey," a weak voice croaked. "Some of us are trying to sleep.

Suni's eyes widened and a smile exploded across her face. "Atreus!

The two girls ran to the small room where their friend lay. He was hooked up to half a dozen machines, with tubes going in and out of his body, but his eyes were open. In the room next to his, Xen was sitting up in bed, looking pale and tired, but happy that his friend was awake. Tethys drew back the curtain that covered the window between the rooms.

"You're alive!" Suni gasped.

"You seemed surprised," Atreus said softly. He took a raspy breath and winced.

"Welcome back," Tethys said as Suni ran to get her mother. "We were worried.

Atreus grinned as Rose gently pushed Tethys aside to inspect her patient.

A few days later, Admiral Band made a special visit to see Atreus, Xen, Suni, and Tethys and commend them on their bravery. He awarded each of them with medals, but could not stay long at the Starbase. He was pleased to see that the boys were recovering , and Rosie told him that if everything went well, the four cadets would be back at Starcademy by next week.

The night before Harlan left, he found Suni sitting at Atreus' bedside, watching him sleep. Harlan sat next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He remembered Rosie's report that morning, how Atreus was recovering slower than she would have liked. He watched his sleeping nephew in silence for some time.

"You should get some rest," Harlan whispered.

Suni shook her head.

"Then you should let Atreus rest. He can probably hear you sitting here.

"I don't mind," Atreus mumbled without opening his eyes.

Harlan smiled. Suni turned to her uncle and he could see the worry in her eyes.

"Don't blame yourself," Harlan told her. He knew the words sounded hollow, and that she had heard it before, but there was nothing else to say.

"This has to stop," Suni whispered. "The Master is trying to tear the UPP apart.

"Tell me about it," Harlan sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I'm the one who has to hold it all together.

"If only we knew where he would go next," Suni mused. "We tried to track his escape pod, but it vanished.

"If only we knew who he was," Harlan added, "or even what he looked like.

"I know," Atreus said softly.

Harlan and Suni stared at the Andromedan. His eyes were open and he was watching them. A faded blush crept onto his sallow skin as he realized he had their full attention.

"At least, I'm pretty sure," Atreus amended. "I saw him on the frigate, before he escaped. He was wearing a helmet, but I could see his face through the glass.

Harlan patted Atreus' hand. "You were nearly dead, your mind was probably playing tricks on you.

"I saw him," Atreus insisted.

"I know you think you did," Harlan said gently, "but can you be certain? If it came to putting a man in prison, would you be able to point the finger at the right person?

Atreus was quiet for a moment. "I know what I saw.

Harlan nodded and stood up. "When you're feeling better, come talk to me. We'll figure out exactly what you saw.

He wished them both good night and turned to leave the medlab. Before he reached the door, Alyna materialized before him. He stepped back in surprise and Suni rose to her feet. Alyna seemed very tired and her expression was troubled. She dipped her head in greeting.

"Admiral Harlan Band," she said. "I have grave news. The Guardians are leaving this galaxy, never to return.

Suni sat back down, her face full of shock. Harlan blinked as he absorbed the impact of her words.

"The Council has just ended. The planet-dwellers of this galaxy know too much. It was a failed experiment in trust, and as a result, the Great Move has begun," Alyna explained.

"What about you?" Suni asked.

"I know my duty.

"So you're leaving? Never to return?

"I am sorry, Admiral," Alyna said, turning back to Harlan, "but the Council's word is law.

"I understand," Harlan replied.

He saluted and Alyna returned the gesture. Without looking at her friends, Alyna vanished. Harlan hesitated a moment before leaving as well.

Suni was dumbstruck. Atreus watched her carefully but said nothing as she stood and turned to face him. The stress of the past few weeks was visible on her face, and she seemed exhausted.

"I guess that's that," Suni said numbly. "We risk our lives to save her and she abandons us.

"Suni Ð " Atreus began.

The Mercurian-Uranusian waved the comment aside. She forced a smile on her face, ignoring the tears that had once again began streaming down her cheeks.

"Good night," she said. "I hope you feel better tomorrow.

The door shut behind her, leaving Atreus alone in his room. He could hear Xen sleeping in the room next to his, and was grateful they hadn't disturbed him. Closing his eyes, Atreus tried to fall asleep again.

Five days after Harlan had left, both Atreus and Xen were almost back to normal. They were able to move around the medlab, although Rosie would not let them go very far, and neither were complaining about feeling tired or sore. Atreus had the remains of a cold and would snow on occasion, and Xen had torn one of his wings which Rosie had carefully mended and bandaged. Tethys spent her days with them, helping them move about on stiff legs, while Suni used the last few days of their visit to spend time with her parents.

Rosie walked with her daughter along the corridors of the Starbase where Suni had grown up. They briefly visited Bova, who was on duty and too busy to spend much time with his family, but the three of them had promised to meet later on for dinner. Suni told her mother about the whole rescue operation, and about the Council's decision to leave, but didn't mention Alyna at all.

"That's too bad," Rosie said. "Guardians will disappear from our memories entirely. You will be the last generation to know the truth." She looked carefully at her daughter. "You should feel honoured to have known one.

Suni shook her head. "She's leaving, Mom. She's going to another galaxy. She's forgetting all about us.

"She won't forget," Rosie assured her. "Guardians live a long time, and you've become very special to her.

"If we're so special, why won't she stay?

Rosie frowned. "You're being selfish, Suni. Her entire species is leaving. If she stays, she'll be the last of her kind, without anyone else in the galaxy like her. That's not a nice life to wish on your friend.

Suni signed. "I guess not. But I almost lost Xen and Atreus, then I got them back only to lose Alyna. It's not fair.

Rosie hugged her daughter. "Nothing is fair, darling. It is what it is.

A few days later, Atreus and Xen were well enough to travel, and Suni began preparing their shuttle to go back to Starcademy. Tethys had tried to come with her, to help her load supplies or check systems, but she had refused. She needed some time alone with her thoughts, to sort things out. She worked until she was almost falling over from exhaustion, but found she could do nothing to order the turmoil in her mind.

"Suni Ianni?

The Mercurian-Uranusian looked up to see Alyna standing in front of her, watching her with her unblinking golden eyes.

"May I join you?" Alyna asked.

Suni nodded and the Guardian sat down next to her friend. Suni took a long drink of water and waited, not sure whether she should tell Alyna what she was thinking.

"You are angry," Alyna remarked, more of a statement than a question.

Suni didn't reply.

"I must obey the laws of my people," Alyna continued. "I must do my duty.

"What about your duty to the UPP?" Suni asked. "You said you would protect our space, and now you're abandoning us.

Alyna was quiet. "The Council knows what is coming. We can do nothing to protect the planet-dwellers now.

Suni blinked. They knew what was going to happen? What terrible danger could it be to drive away the Guardians who swore to defend the galaxy?

"What about us?" Suni said softly. "Aren't we friends anymore?

Alyna turned her head to look at her friend. "We will always be friends, whether I am here or not.

"What if we're not here? The thing the Council knows is coming, the thing they can't stop, what if we can't stop it either? What if we all die?

Alyna bit her lower lip. "I had not thought of that. You are so resourceful, I am sure you will be able to survive.

Suni nodded. "You're probably right, but you should ask your mother about the lives she saved during the Kaesar war.

"What do you mean?

"One person can make a difference, Alyna.

Rosie hugged her daughter goodbye, and stepped to one side to let her husband do the same. Atreus was loading the last few heavy boxes onto the shuttle, his strength having almost completely been restored. Tethys was already on board, powering up the systems with Xen. Alyna was no where to be seen.

"Have a safe trip," Rosie said. "No more space pirates.

Suni laughed. "Okay, Mom. Sheesh, you worry too much.

Bova shook his head. "We should have curbed your curiousity when we had the chance. Then maybe we wouldn't have to worry so much.

"Dad!" Suni exclaimed.

"Come on, Suni!" Xen called from the top of the ramp. "We need a pilot!

Suni gave her parents one more quick hug and ran up the ramp to the ship. She glanced around once more, looking for Alyna, before closing the door.

She settled into her seat, with Atreus beside her, and Tethys and Xen behind her. The gang was together again, except the Guardian who usually glided with them through space. Suni took a deep breath and smiled. She hoped Alyna would be happy in her new galaxy. The shuttle shot through the doors of Starbase 7 and into open space.

"Course laid out for Starcademy," Atreus said. "No detours.

"Look at that!" Xen gasped, pointed out the window.

Thousands of Guardians were gliding past, heading to the unknown. They looked like a tidal wave of colour in the blackness of space, their arms pressed to their sides and their cloaks billowing out behind them. It was a breathtaking sight, and Suni felt a pang of sadness for Alyna.

"I bet we're the only ones who get to see this," Tethys breathed. "It's astounding.

"Good bye, Alyna," Suni whispered.

As the migration passed, Suni began to resume their course when she noticed a single form remaining in their path. Flying closer, she saw it was Alyna, waiting for them. The Guardian dipped her head in greeting and hailed the shuttle.

"I spoke to Gyana, like you suggested," Alyna said. "Perhaps I can meet up with the others later. Right now, you are my family and I could not rest knowing you faced great danger alone.

Suni smiled. "Race you to Starcademy?

"You're on, Suni Ianni.


	7. The Temple of Dom

THE TEMPLE OF DOM

The small escape pod spun through space, occasionally being steered by its weak thrusters. It seemed to be out of control, floating erratically, far from any inhabited planet. There was nothing to save it, no Guardians to come since they had begun their migration. The escape pod and its single passenger were alone in the universe. The only thing that showed any sign of hope was the small tracking device that rhythmically beeped its location.

A ship approached from the distance. It was very large, and the technology seemed to surpass that of the escape pod, making the pod look like an abacus compared to a computer. The ship barely slowed as its docking bay slid open, swallowing the escape pod whole.

The ship glided silently past, as if it had never existed.

"Has anyone seen Alyna?" Suni asked.

Her friends all shook their heads. It was lunch time at Starcademy, a rare chance for the busy cadets to relax after a difficult Ð and often boring Ð morning of classes. Suni and her friends always gathered at the biosphere after eating to enjoy the synthetic breeze and vegetation before the afternoon. Alyna usually joined them after she had gathered her nutrients in the empty space around Starcademy, but today she was nowhere to be seen.

"She wasn't in Study Hall either," Atreus remarked. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head, watching the stars twinkle through the clear dome above him.

"She was in Stardog Heroes," Tethys spoke up, "but she was out of sorts.

"She misses her people," Xen said softly.

All eyes turned to the Vyrillian. He blushed lavender at suddenly being the centre of attention and his wings trembled. He winced. They were still quite sore after his recent ordeal with the space pirates.

"Spill it, Xen," Suni said.

"She's lonely. She misses the Council and the wisdom of the Elders. I think she realizes she's alone in the galaxy and it makes her sad.

"Did you read all this from her thoughts?

Xen shot Suni an angry look. "Of course not. We speak together all the time, you just don't always hear us.

Suni sat down on Atreus' stomach. The Andromedan made a little "oof!" sound more to draw attention to the fact that he was not a chair than out of any pain or discomfort. Suni ignored him.

"I feel bad," she said. "I'm the one that talked her into staying. Mom was right. I was beings selfish.

"None of us wanted her to go," Tethys said. "She just needs some time.

Suni nodded. Suddenly, Atreus sat up, throwing Suni to the ground with a surprised cry. He made a great show of dusting himself off before holding out a hand to help his friend up. She accepted his help, then hit him playfully on the arm.

"What did you do that for?" Suni demanded.

Atreus put an unbelieving expression on his face and his mouth dropped open. Xen and Tethys began to laugh. Alyna materialized in front of them, and Suni gasped in surprise.

"You're going to give me a heart attack one day," she accused her friend.

The Guardian smiled slightly. "I am sorry, but it is 1320 and time to go to class.

Atreus made a face. "I hate Diplomatic Relations.

Tethys stretched luxuriously. "I have a spare period. Maybe I'll take a nap.

"Or maybe you should finish that project for your Botany class that you've been complaining about all week,' Suni reminded her.

Tethys stuck out her tongue and Suni laughed at her friend. She waved as she ran to catch up to Alyna, Atreus, and Xen, who were already on their way out of the biosphere.

Suni stared at the dismantled system spread out before her and blinked. Standing at the front of the class, the teacher frowned and made a note on his compupad. All around her, students were putting together the mystery system without any apparent difficulty, but Suni felt as if she were staring at a text written in ancient Yensidian.

"By now, you should have identified your system and begun the necessary repairs," the teacher called out, his eyes on Suni. She felt them boring into her skull. "You have 30 minutes.

_It is a communications module_, Alyna's voice said in Suni's head.

Her eyes widened and she quickly lowered her head so the teacher wouldn't notice.

_Hey! That's cheating! _Xen's disapproving voice spoke in her mind.

_I am assisting. It is the Guardian way._

_Get out of my head! _Suni snapped mentally. _Both of you!_

The voices vanished, but now that she could identify the bits of equipment, she found she could put them somewhat in order. With only minutes left, her module was in one piece, but she doubted it was in working order. As the teacher ordered them to stop, she zapped her module with a tiny burst of electricity, hoping that was enough to spark it to life.

The three friends met outside the classroom. Xen had a frown on his face and was looked at Alyna. The Guardian was as impassive as always, but Suni could tell the two of them were having a telepathic debate.

"Thanks," she whispered to Alyna.

The Guardian smiled. "You are welcome. Now, we must not be late for StarDog Command.

The last class of the day, the one when the five friends could finally be together, was one of Suni's favourite classes. She knew the others found it dull, except Alyna who was fascinated by the regulations of being a StarDog, but Suni knew one day she would have her own ship, or would be assigned to one, and she needed to know these rules.

"Good afternoon, class," the teacher, a cheery Mercurian named Mr. Ursine, said.

There were a few half hearted greetings returned. Suni sat up straighter in her chair as Tethys began filing her nails. Atreus was absorbed in a game of solitaire on his compupad, and Xen was writing something down.

"I have a special announcement," Mr. Ursine continued. "As part of your final grade, this weekend you are all to participate in survival training. A two day test on an isolated moon or planet where you will need to rely on your team members to live.

Alyna looked decidedly uncomfortable at the announcement.

"Teams of four will be dropped off, and given the location of a flag. No map, mind you, just a general location. You will have 48 hours to locate the flag and rendezvous at the drop off point. You may design your own teams, and submit your names to me by the end of class today or you will be assigned a team.

Alyna put her hand in the air. Atreus raised his eyes from his game and looked at Suni. She shrugged.

"Sir, I am not able to participate in this exercise," Alyna said.

The teacher nodded. "I understand, Alyna. Another assignment will be provided for you to complete this weekend.

The Guardian dipped her head and was silent again. Suni felt a compupad bump into her arm and she glanced down at it.

"Four per team and Alyna sitting out. That's kinda lucky," Atreus had written.

Suni nodded and put her finger to her lips, motioning for him to be quiet. He rolled his eyes and went back to his game as the teacher began the lesson.

Alyna glided through the space around Starcademy. Beneath her, inside the school, her friends were sleeping peacefully. She did a few laps around the school, absent mindedly checking the exterior for damage or wear, but her mind wasn't very focused. She found space very quiet. Normally she was comforted by the stillness after a hectic day at school, wrapping it around her like a blanket as she slept. Tonight she was acutely aware of the absence of Guardian voices.

The Great Move had begun not long ago, and the rest of her people could not have gone that far, but she felt as if she had been lost at sea. The analogy struck her as amusing, since her Alien Cultures class had mentioned mermaids luring sailors to a watery grave. It seemed to her to be the reverse. The sailors had lured the mermaid.

She did not regret her decision to stay in UPP space. As Suni had pointed out, this was her sector of space and it was her duty to protect it. She had friends who cared about her, but they all had families of their own. They would grow older, move away and raise their own children. She would remain friends, of course, but her place in their world would fade until she was as she is now Ð isolated and alone. By then, the rest of her race would be too far to find and she would live out the rest of her life as the last of her kind.

Alyna was torn between friendship and family. Her species were not social by any means, but it had been comforting to know they were close by. She had gone nearly her whole life, since hatching, without anyone to care for her except herself. She was well suited for solitude, but it bothered her.

Now her friends were leaving on a class assignment that she could not participate in. It had taken all her courage just to return to the school after the days spent trapped on the planet-prison. She had been to Earth and Yensid, but she didn't think she could ever set foot on a planet again. She was a part of a different world than her air-breathing friends. She was alone in space, alone at school.

There was no place she truly belonged.

Tethys yawned and stretched her lithe body as she woke. The room was still dark, and she flicked on the small light next to her bed as she sat up. The first thing she noticed was that Suni was not in bed. The next thing she noticed was that all of Suni's belongings were thrown about the room.

"We've been robbed!" Tethys gasped.

Suni's head poked out from the bathroom, a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth.

"Morning, sleepy head," she said.

"What happened?" Tethys asked as she stood.

"I'm packing. We're leaving for the planet retreat today.

Tethys stepped over and around the mess as she made her way to her dresser. "We're only going for 48 hours. What do you need to bring?

"Survival gear. Warm weather clothes, cold weather clothes, rain clothes, windy clothes, sewing kit incase something tears, water-proof clothes incase we get rained on

Tethys shook her head. "You're missing the point. We're supposed to be surviving. I think we're only supposed to bring one change of clothes, a bed roll, a tent, and some food.

Suni came out of the bathroom and shrugged. "Whatever you say.

As she began throwing some things into a pack, Tethys laughed. "Did that conversation seem totally backwards to you?

Suni paused and grinned. "Yeah. Usually you're the one bringing a dozen suitcases for a weekend trip.

Tethys threw a pillow at her friend. Suni ducked and laughed.

"You better get packing," Suni told the princess. "The transport leaves at 0530.

A group of rather groggy students assembled in the cafeteria for a quick breakfast before heading out. Atreus and Xen were already there when Suni and Tethys showed up. The Mercurian-Uranusian was entirely too cheerful for so early in the morning, and Atreus continually shot her dark looks as she chattered about the mission.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked Tethys.

The Neptunian shrugged. "She's been like this all morning. Personally, I think it's a clone. The real Suni wouldn't be this happy this early.

Suni frowned. "Can't I be excited? I like fieldtrips.

"This isn't a fieldtrip," Atreus pointed out. "It's a survival exercise. We'll be lucky if we don't starve or dehydrate.

Suni waved the skepticism aside. "We'll be fine. With my leadership skills, your sense of direction, Tethys' ability to find water, and Xen's wings, we'll be miles ahead of everyone else.

"Glad to see you're so optimistic, Ms Ianni," Mr. Ursine said, coming up behind them. He slapped a compupad on the table in front of her. "Here's your assignment. You're on the moon of Dom, and you've got to find the flag located deep in the ruins of a native temple.

"We're going to the Temple of Dom?" Xen repeated, his wings fluttering nervously.

The teacher smiled. "Like Ms Ianni said. With all your special skills, you'll be just fine. Now head out to the transport.

Obediently the cadets left the cafeteria. Suni was flipping through the compupad as they walked, reading their mission.

"The ruins of Dom are scattered throughout the rainforest that covers most of the moon's surface. You must locate the central temple and find the flag hidden inside it. Beware of ancient booby traps and local flora and fauna. Your drop-off point is located near a large lake that once supplied water to numerous buildings in the area.

"So we have to find the right building first?" Xen asked.

Suni shrugged and put the compupad under her arm. "No problem. We'll get an aerial view of the whole landscape and then we'll head to the biggest building that looks like a temple. Simple.

Xen bit his lip nervously and followed his friends. They boarded the transport and shot off to the moon of Dom.

Alyna watched the transport go, knowing her friends were inside. Quickly, she sped off after it, ignoring her own report for the time being. She felt it was necessary for her to be with them, to make sure they reached their destination safely. At least she would know where they were, and could write her report from the space around their assigned moon. She couldn't admit to herself that she didn't want to be alone.

The transport began its descent through a cluster of asteroids that orbited a large gaseous planet. Alyna followed carefully until the transport entered the atmosphere of a large moon. The Guardian was surprised to see the moon could support life, and could even see the dense vegetation of the moon from space.

With her friends lost from view, Alyna sat on one of the smaller asteroids and drew her compupad from her cloak. Hours past, and the transport that brought her friends had long since gone back to Starcademy. Alyna had grown bored with her report and was exploring the asteroid field around the moon of Dom. A glint of metal caught her eye and she wrapped her cloak around her body, masking herself from their scanners. Slowly, she advanced for a closer look.

The ship came into full view and it was unlike an she had ever seen. It was sleek and dark coloured, almost blending into the background of space, its lights twinkling like far away stars. The design was awe inspiring and, as Alyna did a quick scan, she found it far beyond the technology of the UPP. The mysterious ship had enormous fire power and a high shield energy around it. Curiousity overcoming her, Alyna adjusted her communicator to pick up the ship's signal. She hoped to identify it and perhaps advise it to stay out of UPP space, but she found the language utterly incomprehensible. This surprised the Guardian, who knew most of the languages of the galaxy. She kept listening in the hopes of picking up a few words, but instead she heard the familiar voice of the Master, speaking Basic to the aliens on board the ship.

"Yes," the Master replied to a question in the unknown language. "I have confirmed the landing site. The cadets will not leave the moon alive. I will see to it.

Alyna's eyes widened in alarm. The Master spoke again, but the Guardian didn't hear him. She was too focused on warning her friends. She could not send them a message since they carried only short-distance communicators and there were no satellites orbiting Dom for her to tap into. She knew the only way to save her friends was to warn them in person. She shuddered at the thought of returning to a planet, the weight of the atmosphere, the feel of the winds and earth. It was revolting.

A small shuttle was heading towards them moon. Alyna knew she had no time to deliberate. Wrapping her cloak tighter, like a security blanket, she teleported herself into the hold of the shuttle as it descended to the moon.

"Captain's log, star date 64982.3. My loyal crew and I are trapped on a dangerous moon, without food or any means of survival. I only hope that Ð 

"Suni! Cut that out!" Atreus snapped.

Suni lowered the compupad serving as a log for their journey. Besides finding the flag, the cadets were required to submit a record of their trials and tribulations to their teacher. Suni had taken it upon herself to maintain the journal.

"Really, what is Mr. Ursine going to think when he hears that as our first entry?" Atreus asked.

"It's not the first entry," Xen piped up in spite of Suni's attempts to keep him quiet.

Tethys took the compupad and flipped back to the first recording Suni had made. Tapping the keys, the group listened to the entry made during their trip to the moon.

"Captain's log, star date 65213.9. We're on a collision course with an unexplored planet. I can't get the ship to respond to any commands. Although I don't fear death, I am concerned Ð 

Tethys shut the log off. Suni shrugged and smiled, not even trying to look ashamed. Atreus was trying to keep from laughing as he shot his friend a disappointing look.

"I think I'll hang onto this," Tethys decided, tucking the compupad into her pack.

"Whatever you say," Suni replied brightly.

They had been on the moon of Dom for only an hour and had barely cleared the landing site. The whole planet was coated in a dense jungle, and the atmosphere was hot and very humid. Suni and Tethys were enjoying the weather, but Atreus' hair quickly became weighed down with moisture and Xen's delicate wings were drooping in the heat.

Suni drew out the compupad containing the information their teacher had provided for them. Their flag was located deep in the ruins of an ancient temple, and the file only gave them a picture of the flag, a list of dangerous and/or poisonous plants and animals, and supplies to last the weekend. Suni adjusted the straps of her pack and took a deep breath. The heat reminded her of her grandparents' house on Mercury.

"Well, let's go," she said.

"Where?" Xen asked, looking around.

Suni paused in thought. Turning to her friends, she smiled and took control of the situation, all joking aside.

"Xen, can you fly up and give us a view of the terrain?

Xen nodded and his wings began to flutter. He got about five meters into the air and fell like a stone. Atreus caught him before he hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" Suni and Tethys exclaimed at the same time.

The Vyrillian was placed gently on his feet. He shook his head apologetically and gazed up into the air. His wings were drooping again.

"The air is too heavy with moisture," Xen explained. "I'm not strong enough to fly through it. Sorry, Suni.

The Mercurian-Uranusian pushed the apology aside. "Don't worry about it." She pointed to the lake near the drop-off point. "The file said this lake supplied the water for the temple. We'll just follow the river until we see some ruins. Piece of cake.

Atreus and Tethys exchanged worried looks as their friends headed off towards the lake. They both shrugged at the same time and followed.

"Are they trying to drive us nuts?" Suni demanded.

They had found the lake, and Tethys had informed them that over a dozen streams and rivers flowed out of it. Atreus had confirmed the Neptunian's observation by listening to the water. He also reported a large waterfall not too far in the distance.

"It's survival training," Atreus reminded her, "not a vacation. Of course it's going to be tricky.

Suni sighed. Xen had tested the water and found it safe to drink, and was escaping from the heat by splashing himself. Tethys joined him, jumping into the lake for a light swim. Soon the Vyrillian was swimming too, and as the two cooled down Suni and Atreus planned their next move.

"Why don't you climb a tree and see if you can see the temple from there?" Atreus suggested.

Suni nodded. "Great idea, but you're coming with me in case I fall.

"Guys!" Xen called. "Take a swim first. It's refreshing!

Both Suni and Atreus paled at the thought. "Sorry, Xen," Suni explained. "I short out if I'm completely submerged, and Atreus sinks like a rock.

The Andromedan nodded miserably. "I hate water. I really do.

Tethys' laughter rang out. "I can't get either of them to visit me on Neptune, even though the cities are dry and connected with tubes.

"Uncle Radu told me what happened when he visited Queen Clito," Atreus called back. "We're going to go climb a tree. On nice solid land.

Tethys and Xen both laughed as the Mercurian-Uranusian and Andromedan left the shores of the lake. Suni quickly scrambled up a tall tree and, in a few minutes, had poked her head up through the canopy of the rainforest.

"Holy moly," she breathed. "Look at all the trees!

The view was breathtaking. As far as the eye could see were the tops of lush, green trees. She could see mountains in the distance, and could hear the waterfall that Atreus had noticed earlier. Strange birds flew through the blue sky, and Suni could even make out the planet of Dom in the sky.

"Suni? Are you okay?" Atreus called.

"You have got to see this," Suni replied in her normal voice, knowing better than to yell.

"Maybe later. Can you see the temple?

Suni pulled her eyes from the sky and back to the treetops. Squinting and shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand, she noticed an absence of trees and what could possibly be rock.

"There's a clearing just north of here," she reported. "It could be a temple.

"Great. Come down and we'll move out.

"Okay. Get ready, here I come!

Before Atreus could ask, Suni jumped from the top of the tree, crying out in delight as she did a free-fall toward the ground. To her delight, she saw Atreus' surprised expression as he got ready to catch her. She laughed as she landed in his arms, knocking both of them to the ground.

"What on earth made you do that?" Atreus tried to ask.

"Come on, guys," Suni called to Tethys and Xen. "Let's move out!

She ran back to the lake, leaving Atreus standing by the tree, shaking his head in confusion.

The transport landed with a jarring thud, and Alyna closed her eyes reflexively. She could already feel gravity pushing her into the ground, with the oppressive atmosphere resting on her head and shoulders like a stone. It had not been as bad in the shuttle during the descent, but now it felt overpowering. She heard the aliens moving about in the shuttle and quickly transported herself outside. She disappeared again, hiding herself in some bushes a safe distance from the ship.

The hot, humid air of the tropical moon was almost unbearable compared to the coolness of space. It saw all the more heavily on her, making it difficult for her to move. Sitting on the soft ground she tried to transform her communications system into a tracking device to find her friends. She found the heat slowed her mind and made her movements sluggish. By now, the aliens had already headed off into the jungle, unseen by the Guardian, in search of their prey. Alyna rose and glanced at her tracker, set on the standard UPP communications frequency. Slowly she moved through the rain forest towards her friends.

Atreus sat as far from the waterfall as he could, his hands clamped tightly over his ears. His friends were trying to find a way up the steep cliff that blocked their path to the temple. The falls were too powerful for Tethys to swim up in her liquid form, and the cliff was smooth from centuries of erosion. The rock face continued into the jungle, vanishing in the trees thick with vegetation. Suni and Xen had tried cut their way through the bushes, but could not clear a path.

Atreus watched as Xen flew a short distance into the air. His wings struggling against the thick air, he managed to hammer a spike into the cliff and secure a piece of rope. Suni caught the end of the rope as Xen landed, and quickly climbed up. From there, the Mercurian-Uranusian tried to find some kind of foot or hand holds to reach the top, but it was useless. She only succeeded in falling to the ground. Frustrated, the group returned to where the Andromedan sat, each one depressed in their failure to climb the cliff.

"No luck?" Atreus shouted.

Suni shook her head. She sighed as Xen handed her a ration bar from his pack. Atreus felt completely useless. The simple sound of the water crashing prevented him from helping his friends find a way to the temple. He was forced to watch like an invalid while they tried their best to get to the top. He looked up and down the cliff, judging its height and density. He knew he could make it.

Closing his eyes in concentration, he stood and walked over to the cliff. The noise from the waterfall was deafening to Suni, and she could hardly imagine how her Andromedan friend was managing. She gasped as Atreus lowered his hands from his ears and punched the cliff. The whole area seemed to shake with the impact of the blow. A fist size hole appeared, and Atreus reached a little higher to punch again. As his friends watched in awe, he created enough holes in the thick rock to climb to the top, where he disappeared from view.

Suni was instantly on her feet, heading for the cliff, with her friends a step behind. She followed Atreus, using the hand and foot hold he had provided. At the top, they found Atreus a good distance away from the falls, leaning against a tree with his head in his hands. It was much quieter up there, and Suni went immediately to the Andromedan's side as Xen helped Tethys up the last part of the cliff.

"Are you all right?" Suni asked quietly.

She saw Atreus wince at her words, but he smiled at her and nodded. "Can we get away from the waterfall now, please?

Suni helped him to his feet and the four cadets resumed their search for the temple.

Night fell quickly on the moon, and the hot haziness of the day was replaced by cool temperatures. Suni and Tethys slept in one tent, with Atreus and Xen close by. The darkness of night brought out strange sounds and creatures that kept Suni from falling asleep. Every hoot, chirp, or snap made her worry that the people who had built the ancient temples were still lurking about. She envied Tethys, who had fallen asleep almost immediately, and she toyed with the idea of waking her friend for company, but decided at least one of them should have a good rest. Another creak made her pull her sleeping bag up to her nose as she glanced around. Shadows caused by the faint light of the planet above them floated across the tent. Suni tried to calm herself by identifying the shapes as they drifted by. A branch, a bird, a leaf, a human

Instantly, the Mercurian-Uranusian was wide awake and shaking Tethys. The Neptunian woke up reluctantly, but grew more alert as she saw the fear in Suni's eyes. Without speaking, Suni pointed to the human-shaped shadow just outside their tent. Tethys nodded and reached for the flashlight she had placed near her pillow. Suni carefully pushed the flap of the tent aside, and Tethys shone her light around the campsite.

The figure was sitting with its back to the tents near the remains of the camp fire. As Tethys' light illuminated it, it turned and Suni cried out in surprise and alarm. Atreus and Xen burst from their tent, wearing their pajamas, looking around wildly for an intruder. The figure in front of the fire pit rose, and dipped its head in greeting.

"Alyna?" Suni managed, coming all the way out of her tent.

The Guardian smiled wanly. "I did not wish to wake you until morning.

"What are you doing here?" Atreus asked.

"Warning you of great danger," Alyna replied. "Strange aliens have come to ensure you do not survive this assignment. They were sent by the Master, and he may be among them.

"The Master?" Tethys gasped.

"You are not safe. You must leave.

"We can't," Xen spoke up. "The transport won't come for another day and night.

"And we haven't found the flag yet," Suni added.

Atreus glanced at her in disbelief, surprised that she valued the flag over her life. Alyna only nodded and sat down again by the campfire.

"Then I suggest you be on your guard," she said. "And get some sleep. I will watch here tonight.

The next morning, the group continued to travel through the dense jungle. Atreus was in the lead, clearing a path for his friends with a long knife. Suni flowed, then Tethys, Xen, and Alyna bringing up the rear. The Guardian had been quiet since the previous night, holding her cloak tightly around her in spite of the heat. Xen watched her carefully, but said nothing to the others. The Guardian was clearly uncomfortable being on the planet.

Atreus stopped abruptly, causing Suni to crash into him.

"Hey! What gives?" Suni demanded.

Atreus stepped to one side and pointed wordlessly. A magnificent valley spread out before them, a lone clearing among the trees. A thick river wound its way across, and numerous small stone structures lined its banks. In the centre of the valley was a large temple, stretching to the sky. It was arranged like a series of blocks, reducing in size, and piled on top of one another. There were no entrances to be seen.

"Beautiful," Tethys breathed.

Suni started down the slight incline that separated them from the temples. Atreus paused, listening carefully for signs of the aliens Alyna had mentioned, but he heard nothing.

"Come on, Atreus!" Suni called from half way down the slope. "Last one there's a rotten spice pear!

Laughing, the Andromedan ran down the hill after his friends.

It had taken only a few minutes for them to locate a crack large enough for the group to slip through and into the temple itself. Suni led the way, her flashlight sweeping across the wide corridor of the temple. The whole enclosure was eerily silent, with no sound of animals or even insects. Suni felt that they were drawing near to their goal, and scarcely paid attention to anything else.

"This is a little too easy," Atreus said softly.

"Agreed," Alyna nodded. "The aliens who mean us harm have not yet attacked. I am wary of this place.

"Hurry up!" Suni called from well down the corridor. "We're close! I can feel it!

Atreus rolled his eyes and he and the Guardian jogged down the hall to meet their friend. Tethys and Xen were already ahead of Suni, pushing open a large door. Atreus brushed past them and heaved the stone obstruction out of the way. Xen smiled at him gratefully.

"It must be up these stairs," Tethys said, pointing at a large staircase that ran from the doorway into darkness.

"Mr Ursine does not make this simple, does he?" Alyna observed.

Atreus and Xen laughed as they headed up the stairs. From the darkness behind them, two sets of eyes watched the group ascend.

It felt like hours later when they reached the top. Suni brushed some vines aside and entered a large room that contained a massive statue at the far end. The statue was of a strange multi-armed and multi-eyed alien, and Suni briefly noted the smaller versions of the statue lining the walls. Without pause, Suni strode down the length of the room to stand before the alien. Squinting, she saw a piece of cloth placed near its neck. She double checked the image of their flag and grinned in triumph.

"Guys! There it is!" she called.

The rest of her team were only half way across the room as Suni began to climb. Xen's wings were fluttering nervously as he glanced at the imposing statues on either side of him, and Tethys' eyes were locked on Suni as she clambered up the crumbling statue.

Atreus turned sharply to look behind them, his eyes squinting as he strained to hear a faint sound. Alyna paused with him, looking at him curiously.

"I thought I heard something," he mumbled, "but it's gone. It was a Ð clicking, I think.

"Got it!" Suni exclaimed, madly waving the flag above her head.

Tethys and Xen applauded and Atreus smiled proudly. He ran over to the statue to help his friend down, leaving Alyna standing alone. As Suni neared the bottom, there was a loud thud as the door slid closed, locking the cadets in the chamber.

"Uh oh," Suni said, folding the flag and tucking it away. "Alyna, please tell me you did that.

"Why would I lock us in here?" the Guardian asked.

"I knew it was too easy," Tethys grumbled. "Now what?

As in answer to her question, the small multi-armed statues at the sides of the room began to move. The cadets crowded together in the centre of the camber, watching as a dozen stone weapon-wielding monsters came slowly at them.

"Okay, anyone have a plan?" Xen asked nervously.

One of the statues lunged and grabbed Tethys, hoisting her into the air. The Neptunian princess screamed and began to beat at him with her fists. This, of course, did no damage to his stone skin. Atreus smashed the arm off the monster, freeing Tethys, who fell to the ground. She quickly scurried over to where her friends stood in an outward facing circle.

"We need to get out of here," Atreus said as he smashed another statue.

Suni was looking about wildly for an escape. Suddenly, she pointed to a hole in the ground to the right of the giant statue. Atreus followed her gaze and shook his head.

"We can't jump down a hole!" he protested, striking another monster. "Who knows where it leads?

"Can you find a better way out?" Suni asked, zapping a statue with a bolt of electricity.

The Andromedan muttered something under his breath and sighed. The group was still surrounded by the statues, and it looked like there was no way for them to move from their tight circle to the hole. Alyna stepped over to stand beside Suni.

"Allow me," she said. "This will give us a little time.

Making a wide sweeping motion with her hands, Alyna moved the heavy air currents in the temple, knocking a few statues aside. Her friends quickly ran towards the hole, with Alyna bringing up the rear. Suni hesitated at the edge of the opening and glanced down into the blackness.

"Hurry up!" Atreus urged.

"It looks really deep," Suni said hesitantly.

Grabbing her by the hand, Atreus leapt into the hole. With a startled yelp, Suni fell in with him. Alyna and Tethys held hand and jumped in next, while Xen fluttered his wings to control his speed. The statues roared their disapproval and returned to their resting places, waiting for the next person to come and disturb them.

They fell for a long time, Suni and Tethys screaming the whole time. Atreus focused on the bottom of the pit, readying himself for a landing. Finally, they struck the bottom, Atreus striking the ground first with a painful "oof". Suni crashed on top of him, with Tethys and Alyna on top of her. Xen floated to the ground and stood beside Atreus' head.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Atreus glanced up at him from the bottom of the pile. "Peachy. Will everyone please get off of me?

Muttering apologies the girls stood up and moved away, allowing the Andromedan to rise and brush himself off irritably. They were all in pitch blackness, and Suni grabbed the nearest hand.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We are in a tunnel deep underground," Alyna replied. "Please do not squeeze my hand so hard, Suni. There is nothing else here but us.

"How do you know?" Suni questioned. "I can't see a thing.

"But I can. My night vision, as you planet-dwellers call it, is quite good. I can also feel the increased gravity as we are closer to the moon's core.

Tethys fumbled about in her pack until she finally found her flashlight. She warned everyone about a sudden appearance of light, and flicked it on. Alyna had been right; there was nothing else in the corridor except them. A wall was directly behind them, the hole they had fallen down above, and a corridor stretching into the distance before them.

"Well," Tethys remarked, running her fingers through her hair. "I guess we walk.

They started out down the hall, each holding the others' hand to form a humanoid chain. No one spoke as they scanned the smooth walls for a way up.

"Are you okay, Alyna?" Suni asked suddenly, glancing back at her friend. "You're shaking.

The Guardian forced a smile. "I dislike closed areas. This temple, and this whole moon, makes me uncomfortable.

"I guess it makes sense for a Guardian to be claustrophobic," Tethys commented from the front of the line. "I mean, they're used to Ð 

Her thought broke off into a scream as the ground beneath her gave way. Suni was pulled over the edge of the chasm as well, but Atreus managed to keep Alyna and Xen from falling. The Andromedan pulled his friends back to safety, and Tethys and Suni collapsed into each other's arms, their hearts pounding.

"It just opened up in front of me," Tethys stammered. "I didn't see it at all!

Atreus raised his head and stared down the passageway. "I thought I heard laughter.

"We must be cautious," Alyna said. "We are not alone down here.

She and Xen helped the girls to their feet as Atreus walked over to the crevice. The floor had given way, making a long gulf in their path. It appeared as if the hole had been covered by trap doors, which had swung open with barely a sound. He could not see any way across the barrier, either.

"Well, I don't know what we can do to get across," Atreus said. "It's too wide to jump, and who knows how deep it is. We can't jump down it.

Alyna suppressed a shudder. "I have had enough of holes. I believe, however, that I can teleport us across one at a time.

"And I can fly across," Xen piped up, "I think.

Alyna took Suni by the arm and the two of them disappeared, only to reappear a second later at the other side of the crevice. While Suni waited, Alyna repeated the trip for each of her friends. As she reappeared with Xen, who had decided not to risk flying, she fell to her knees. Xen knelt beside her, and the two spoke silently for a moment. Xen helped her to her feet.

"Is she okay?" Suni asked.

Xen nodded. "She's used up a lot of energy since she got here, moving the statues and getting us over the pit. Apparently the humid air makes it a lot harder.

"Let me carry her for a while," Atreus volunteered. "We have to keep moving.

Alyna nodded and the Andromedan picked her up easily. They continued to move down the hall, this time more wary of traps and the mysterious laughter.

"Run!" Sun exclaimed.

The group took off as fast as they could as giant boulder crashed down the passage behind them. As the massive rock picked up speed. Suni caught sight of another hall that joined the one they were trapped in. She grabbed Tethys by the arm and pulled her into the other corridor, followed by Xen and Atreus who was still carrying Alyna. The boulder rolled past them and smashed harmlessly into a wall.

"It was a dead end anyway," Tethys remarked, brushing dust from her sleeves.

"This is getting ridiculous,' Atreus muttered. "Someone had to have released that boulder. Did anyone touch anything?

His friends all replied no. Atreus adjusted the resting Guardian in his arms and peeked his head down the path they had just traveled. He could see little through the falling dust, but he could hear footsteps and muted speech.

"Our would-be murderers are still back there," he reported.

"Let's go, then," Suni decided, heading back the way they had come at a run.

The others quickly followed. Through the haze of the dust, they could see shadowed shapes moving ahead of them. They appeared to be wearing long cloaks that covered their features, but Atreus could hear their voices, which were strangely accented. He couldn't place them.

"Hey!" Suni yelled as a challenge.

The shapes stopped for a split second before taking off at a run. The cadets followed, leaping over debris and fallen rocks. The group soon lost track of where they were as they kept their attackers in sight. The forms always managed to stay just out of view, so the cadets could neither see nor hear them clearly. All they could do was run.

"Everyone! Get down!" Atreus suddenly exclaimed.

He shouldered Xen behind a large overturned stone pillar, while Suni and Tethys took refuge on the opposite side of the hall behind what had once been the column's base. A split second later an explosion rocketed down the hall. Atreus winced in pain, dropping Alyna to the ground as he clenched his hands over his ears. The Guardian shielded the boys with her cloak, absorbing most of the heat. A minute later, the worst of the explosion had past and the cadets peeked out of their hiding spots to take in the damage.

There was no longer a passage in front of them. The explosion had destroyed the ceiling and walls, completely blocking the path their attackers had taken. Suni kicked at the rocks and swore loudly as her friends emerged into the corridor. Alyna was strong enough to walk on her own now, and Xen stayed close to her as they joined the others.

"What now?" Tethys asked, dusting herself off.

"We have our flag," Alyna observed. "Why not exit the temple?

"We're lost," Suni said bitterly.

"Not completely," Atreus amended. "Andromedans have a great sense of direction. Remember how I got us out of the Black Forest on Uranus?

"Okay, smarty pants," Suni challenged. "How do we get out?

Atreus smiled and pointed up. All heads followed where he indicated. The explosion had knocked the ceiling down, revealing sunlight and jungle above them. All they had to do to leave was climb up the fallen rocks. Suni laughed sheepishly and graciously stepped aside as Atreus began to climb.

"I never thought I would be grateful to be on the surface," Alyna observed.

Suni took a deep breath and did a full circle. They were outside the temple, next to the river which flowed steadily through the valley. They were all happy to be out of the dismal underground tunnels, but were very much aware that someone on this moon wanted them dead.

"We can follow the river to the drop off site," Tethys said. "It must flow into the large lake where we started this crazy adventure.

Alyna had approached the river and knelt next to it. She watched it move for a while before sticking her hand into it. Immediately, she withdrew it, gasping in shock. Xen looked at her quizzically.

"The pressure of this liquid is greater than the atmosphere," Alyna exclaimed. "And it moves at an alarming rate. How does one survive in it?

Tethys laughed. "If you don't require oxygen to breath, it's quite lovely. Very quiet and relaxing.

Suni and Atreus shuddered. Alyna took a few steps away from the water. "Although I do not doubt you, Tethys, I do not think I would like to experience that particular planetary custom.

Tethys shrugged. "We don't have to go in, but if we follow it we should get close to the pick-up site.

The others agreed and they started off down the river bank. They cheered up as they walked, knowing soon they would be off this moon and back into the familiarity of space. The all but forgot about the aliens who still sought their deaths as the day wore on. Soon they were standing by the waterfall again, Atreus with his hands over his ears, and gazing down on the valley where the Starcademy shuttle would be arriving the next morning.

"Let's go," Atreus suggested, making his way down the cliff.

Halfway down, Atreus suddenly jerked as if he had been struck and let go of the hand holds until he was dangling by one hand. The others looked around and saw motion in the shadowy bushes.

"Ambush!" Suni exclaimed.

Xen flew to where Atreus dangled, trying to keep himself airborne as the humidity of the planet and moisture of the waterfall weighed down his wings. He tried to get the Andromedan back on the cliff, but was struck himself by a blaster bolt. Atreus tried to grab Xen as he fell, but missed and the Vyrillian fell down into the churning waters.

"Xen!" Tethys called, diving from the cliff.

She liquefied herself as she fell and disappeared from view. Suni tried to climb down but could get no farther than Atreus. Standing above him, she tried to help him regain his hand hold as the aliens fired on them again. Alyna made a wide sweeping motion with one hand, manipulating the air currents enough to knock the blaster bolts aside. Suddenly, Suni found herself no longer holding onto the rock, as if she had been pulled off by an unknown force. Blinking in surprise, she fell. Atreus' grip finally let go and he, too, disappeared into the water. Alyna was left alone on the cliff, and she tried to finish her descent but was knocked off by a blaster bolt. Before she knew it, she was in the water.

The force of the liquid hitting her was enough to make her feel as if her bones would break. Instinctively, she transformed her legs into a tail and tried to move as she would in space. She found this worked remarkably well and she forced herself to the surface.

The change in pressure from beneath the water to the air was enough to make her vision waver as she used her tail to maneuver her way to shore. She found Suni lying half out of the water, electricity jumping off of her in short sparks.

"Alyna," Suni gasped.

"I am here. Are you all right?" the Guardian asked.

Suni nodded. "Tethys and Xen

"I have not seen them.

The Mercurian-Uranusian's eyes suddenly widened. "Atreus! He sinks! He'll drown!

Without another word, the Guardian returned to the water. She forced herself to go deeper under water, ignoring the pain in her head as she descended. The river was not too deep, and she found herself able to move quickly and easily with her tail. She scoured the riverbed until she found Atreus lying in the sand. Swimming up to him, she saw he was unconscious and not breathing. Alyna grabbed his arm and tried to move him, but could not. He was too heavy and the pressure of the water was too great. Frantically, she pulled at him but only succeeded in moving him an inch. Suddenly, she looked up and saw Tethys floating in front of her. The Neptunian smiled and took Atreus' other arm. Together they were able to drag him to the surface.

Suni and Xen were standing on the side of the river, facing the shadows. Suni was trying to direct her shorted out electrical blasts into the forest to flush out whoever had knocked them all into the river. Xen was throwing rocks and kept glancing nervously back at the water, but it appeared as if their attackers had fled. As Alyna and Tethys emerged hauling Atreus, they dropped their guard to help their friends.

"Atreus?" Suni gasped. "He's not breathing!  
Tethys pushed the panicking girl aside and began to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the Andromedan. A few breathless minutes passed as Suni and Xen waited to see if their friend would live. Finally, Atreus gasped for air, spit out a huge amount of water, and began to breath on his own. He blinked and opened his eyes to see three relieved faces hovering over him. He turned to Xen.

"And that is why Andromedan's don't swim," he said.

They all laughed, and Suni noticed for the first time that Alyna was still lying half in the water. The Mercurian-Uranusian approached her slowly, noticing that her tail had not transformed back into legs and her eyes were closed.

"Alyna?" Suni said softly.

The Guardian's eyes fluttered open and immediately closed again. She did smile, however, and turned her head slightly to face Suni.

"Suni," Alyna replied. "I just need a moment to rest and I will be fine.

Suni noticed a small amount of bluish blood coming out of Alyna's pointed ears. Her eyes widened in alarm and she shook the Guardian to make her open her eyes.

"Alyna!" Suni called. "Alyna! Wake up!

The Guardian made no movement. Atreus and the others moved closer to their friend and knelt beside her. Suni had tears in her eyes as she cradled her friend's head in her lap.

"She hasn't eaten in days, she used a lot of energy to help us in the temple," Xen remarked. "She used more to help us in the river. Maybe it was too much for her.

Suni shook her head. "I don't believe it. She'll be fine once she's in space. I know she'll be fine.

"Then let's get her to the pick-up site," Atreus said gently, picking the unconscious Guardian up.

Nobody slept that night, out of worry for Alyna and for the strange aliens that were still at large. They all expected an attack to come, for the aliens to try and finish them off, but nothing happened. The night passed uneventfully and as the sun rose in the morning, the transport landed to bring the exhausted cadets back to Starcademy.

Mr. Ursine was all smiles as he waited for his students to enter the transport. His face quickly became concerned as he saw their faces and the body that Atreus carried. Mr. Ursine ran out to meet them as they approached.

"What happened? How did Alyna get down here?" he sputtered.

"We were attacked several times," Suni reported. She pulled out the dirty flag and handed it to her teacher. "Here.

"Alyna needs to get into open space," Atreus said. "We need to leave immediately for Starcademy.

Their teacher nodded and ushered them onto the shuttle. In minutes, they were out of the moon's atmosphere and heading through hyperspace for Starcademy.

Days later, the cadets were eating breakfast in the cafeteria and getting ready for class. They each tried to animate the conversation, speaking of upcoming tests and assignments, but their thoughts were on Alyna. They had let her drift in space upon returning to the school, but no one had heard anything from her since then. The school nurse checked on her every day, but not enough was known about Guardian biology to help her. Suni expected the worst, but didn't want to say anything to discourage her friends.

"Maybe we could go flying after class?" Xen suggested suddenly.

Suni looked at him. "I thought you hated flying with me.

"I won't go with you," Xen replied. "I'll go with Atreus.

"Thanks," Tethys said drying. "I like living too, you know.

"Why the sudden interest in going into space?" Suni questioned.

Before the Vyrillian could answer, the bell rang for class. Xen smiled at her, winked, and headed off with Tethys. Suni shook her head and followed. Atreus waited in case Alyna showed up, then sighed and proceeded to class alone.

"Clear for lift off," Suni reported.

"All systems go," Tethys confirmed.

The old shuttle lifted smoothly from the ground and sailed into space. Suni smiled and hated to admit to herself that she missed flying when she didn't have the chance. With Atreus and Xen close behind, she did some barrel rolls and loop-the-loops, feeling better than she had in days.

"Follow us," Xen said over the transceiver.

"Where to?" Tethys asked.

"You'll see.

The two shuttle switched positions as Atreus led them further from Starcademy. They flew near a small cluster of asteroids and Atreus let his ship hover as Suni caught up. The two girls looked around at the rocks in confusion.

"What's going on?" Suni asked suspiciously.

"Do not blame them. It was my idea," a new voice said.

Suni screamed with joy as Alyna appeared in front of her ship, fully recovered. The Guardian dipped her head in greeting and did circles around the shuttle, coming to rest next to the pilot.

"Alyna! I was afraid you were dead!" Suni exclaimed.

Alyna shook her head. "I do not think water agrees with Guardians either. The pressure difference from the water, and the air was almost too much for me. I am pleased I was able to recuperate so quickly.

Tethys clapped her hands in delight. "I'm so glad you're okay.

Alyna nodded. "Thank you. Now, you should return to Starcademy. I will join you in the morning after breakfast.

As the two shuttles flew off. Alyna moved deeper away from UPP space. She was tracking the signal of the alien vessel she had seen around the moon of Dom. She still had their communications frequency, and was using that to track them. She needed to know if her friends were still in danger, and she needed to report all this to Admiral Band. She wished the Guardian Council were around to advise her, but knew she must do this on her own.

She found the ship hiding in the radiation of a nebula. Alyna got as close as she dared and began scanning the transmissions. They were all in the unknown language. Still, she listened and heard the names of her friends being mentioned, although she had no idea what was being said. The voice sounded angry, then another voice spoke soothingly to appease it, mentioning her friends again. The first voice laughed, joined by the second. Alyna ended the transmission. She feared her friends were not out of danger yet.


	8. End Game

END GAME

"Well, I'm off!" Suni said happily, shouldering her bag.

"Enjoy your holiday," Xen replied, giving his friend a quick hug, "and have fun at the festivals.

Suni smiled and stepped up the ramp leading to the waiting transport. All the cadets at Starcademy were either leaving or were gone for the three-day UPP holiday. Earlier that morning, Tethys had left for Neptune and Atreus had gone to New Andromeda. Now Suni was eager to visit her family on Starbase 7. Xen offered to wait until she left before he departed for Vyrill. Halfway up the ramp, Suni paused and glanced back at Xen.

"No news from Alyna?" she asked, knowing what the answer would be.

Xen shook his head. Suni sighed, gave her friend a final wave, and disappeared into the transport. As the ship prepared to leave, Xen remained where he was until the airlock doors opened and the transport rocketed into space. Picking up his own bag, Xen caused a dimensional tear to appear and stepped through.

Suni sat alone on the transport, staring out the window. It had been so long since she had been able to visit her parents for a relaxing holiday, even if it was just for a weekend. Still she wished she could have said good bye to Alyna, just so she would know the Guardian was all right. Alyna had been called away from Starcademy a few days ago on a top secret mission for the UPP. She hadn't even been able to tell her friends about it, and had vanished into space without a word of farewell. Suni sighed, watching the stars. She tried her best to think of the joyful reunion she would have with her family on Starbase 7.

"May I sit here, young lady?

Blinking, Suni tore herself away from the twinkling stars and looked up. A Saturnian man was standing in the aisle, gesturing to the seat next to her. He was wearing a faded multicoloured top hat and long jacket that complimented his rainbow hair. He had a brown suitcase by his feet. Smiling, Suni moved her bag off the seat. The man touched the brim of his hat by way of thanks and lowered himself onto the seat, tucking his suitcase by his feet. Suni returned to her vigil of the stars.

"You seem down," the man commented.

The Mercurian-Uranusian shook her head. "I'm excited actually. I'm going home.

"You're on the wrong transport for Mercury.

"No, Starbase 7 is my home.

The Saturnian nodded. "Your father is a technician on the base?

Suni grinned. "Something like that.

"I'm heading to the base myself," the man said. "There's a market there this holiday and I'm going to make my fortune.

Suni nodded, not particularly interested in what the man was saying. Still, her mother had taught her to be polite, so she smiled and hoped the merchant was finished talking. He winked at her and smiled.

"I'm selling the future," the man continued. "A game that will change the way you look at the world.

Suni suddenly found herself enthralled by what he had to say. "A game? Really?

He nodded. "Come by the market, young lady, and I'll give you a demonstration. On the house.  
The transport slid to a stop, and Suni thanked the Saturnian. He touched the brim of his hat as he said farewell and blended into the crowd. Suni watched his top hat disappear around a corner before picking up her own bag and exiting the ship.

Tethys sighed and threw herself onto her bed. Floors below her, she knew her parents were conducting court business in preparation for the festival and wouldn't be done for hours. That left Tethys with nothing to do. She had hoped to spend time with her mother, telling her about her courses and friends, but after the official welcoming when Tethys had stepped off the transport, her parents had been too busy to see her. The princess had tried to amuse herself by touring the city, but her guards had been instructed not to let her leave the palace grounds. She was a prisoner in her own home.

Crossing her expansive room, she sat in front of her vid-phone and dialed. Perhaps seeing a friendly face would cheer her up, and maybe give her an idea of what to do with her time. Moments later, the face of a middle-aged Andromedan woman appeared and smiled brightly.

"Hello, Tethys! Enjoying your holiday?" Arista asked.

Tethys smiled at the governor of New Andromeda. "I'm afraid it hasn't been very exciting so far. My parents have been too busy getting the city ready for the festival, so I thought I'd see how Atreus was doing.

"That's too bad, dear. I guess the monarchy can't afford a holiday! Just wait there. I'll go get Atreus for you.

Tethys thanked her and waited patiently as Arista's face left the screen. A minute later Atreus appeared, smiling broadly. His eyes were lit up in amusement and Tethys could hear talking and laughter in the background. Her heart wrenched with jealousy and longing to join the laughter.

"Miss me already?" Atreus asked. "I just saw you this morning.

"I wanted to see how you're doing," Tethys replied, "find out how your trip was, how you family is

"Everything is great! It's a government holiday here, so Mom's home all weekend! Dad invited some friends over and we're having a bit of a party.

"Sounds fun," Tethys sighed half-heartedly.

"What are you up to, Your Highness?" Atreus teased.

Tethys immediately put on a regal air. "Oh, balls, banquets, handsome nobles professing their undying love. The usual.

Atreus' smile disappeared and his face grew serious. "Tethys, are you okay?

"I'm fine. My parents are just a little busy.

"And you're bored?

Tethys grimaced. The Andromedan was being very perceptive. Sometimes she wondered how he could possibly know her so well. She nodded.

"Why don't you go out? Take a swim through the streets?" Atreus suggested.

"They won't let me," Tethys whined. "There are guards everywhere.

"Even outside your window?

That brought Tethys up short. She hadn't even considered the possibility of sneaking out. It could work, she found herself thinking. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and glared at the screen. Atreus was grinning impishly.

"First of all, you sound like Suni," Tethys pointed out. "Secondly, I'm on Neptune now, not Starcademy. It's unseemly for a princess to be seen sneaking out of her window.

Atreus shrugged. "It was only a suggestion. Admit it, you were considering it for a moment.

"I was not," Tethys replied. Yes, Atreus definitely knew her too well.

"If you want, I can send a book to your compupad for you to read.

There was a knock at the door. Tethys asked Atreus to wait a moment before turning to the door and instructing the knocker to enter. It was one of her bodyguards. He bowed and took a quick glance at the vid-phone. Atreus waved.

"Your Highness, the Queen requests you join her in court at once," he said.

Tethys nodded and waited until the guard had closed the door before turning back to Atreus. She was grinning broadly and clapping her hands in excitement. Atreus laughed.

"So you're not forgotten after all. I guess you won't need that book," he said.

"Thanks for your advice, and for killing some time. Call me when you get a chance, okay?" Tethys replied.

Atreus nodded as the call disconnected. The princess quickly changed, brushed her hair, and took a deep breath. She gracefully walked out the door and down the stairs, followed closely by her guards.

Alyna glided quickly through space, careful not to be detected. The silver alien ship was directly ahead, moving almost too quickly for her to keep up. Her orders had been direct and from the Admiral himself: follow the ship and report on its movements and communications. Tell no one of the mission. Admiral Band had provided her with the latest UPP translator, which included all the languages the UPP had ever deciphered. The translator, coupled with Alyna's own knowledge of galactic languages, convinced the Admiral that there would be no problem in figuring out the mysterious language of the strange ship.

She had been following the alien ship for days now. It seemed to be moving without destination, jumping from system to system along the rim of UPP space. The only patter the Guardian could identify was that it was gradually circling deeper into UPP territory.

Suni chatted nearly nonstop at her parents over dinner. Rosie and Bova listened carefully as their daughter told them about her adventures. Rosie was noticeably concerned, and Bova patted her hand reassuringly.

Later that night, once Suni had gone to sleep, Rosie sat on the edge of the bed, staring at a baby photo of Suni. Bova came over and sat next to her.

"Maybe we should talk to Harlan," Rosie suggested.

"Do you think that would stop her?" Bova asked. He shook his head. "I don't know where she gets this from.

Rosie smiled wryly. "From us? From our stories about the Christa?

Bova pretended to consider this. "No, I think it was Harlan.

His wife laughed and replaced the picture on the nightstand.

"I'm still worried. She's already É we've already almost lost her several times," Rosie sighed.

"Her friends are looking out for her, like our friends always looked out for us.

Rosie sighed and Bova put his arm around her. She hugged him back and smiled as a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"It makes you wonder how our parents felt when we disappeared, doesn't it?

Tethys stood at her mother's left side, right next to the Queen's throne. Clito had summoned her daughter to observe the wares that would be sold at tomorrow's festival. It was tradition for the king and queen to be visited by the merchants, both to inspect what would be sold in their city, and to have first pick of the merchandise.

Tethys had bough some cloth for a new gown, some festive trinkets for her friends, and some jewelry. It was getting very late, and the court was tired. King Bran rested his head on one hand while staring at the merchant before him, and Queen Clito was sitting with her eyes half closed. Finally, the chamberlain announced the final merchant with great relief. Clito and Bran sat up straight and Tethys shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

The merchant was an exuberant Neptunian wearing a faded rainbow coloured top hat and a long coat. He bowed deeply to the royals and, catching Tethys' eye, winked at the princess. Straightening, he opened his battered suitcase to reveal his wares.

"This, your Majesties, is the future. A game that will change the way you look at the world.

Tethys was suddenly very interested in what the man was selling. She watched eagerly as the man reached into his suitcase and took out a small, black sphere. He held it between his thumb and index finger, showing it to the whole court.

"You simply place this in your ear, and it sends electrical impulses to your brain, making you see, hear, and feel the game. Everything is controlled through your thoughts," he explained.

"Is it safe?" Clito asked.

The merchant winked at her. "Of course, your Majesty. Would I sell it if it wasn't?

The Queen smiled. "I suppose not. Very well, you have our permission to join the festival.

The merchant bowed. "Thank you. May I present this game to the beautiful princess as my gift for the festival?  
Tethys inclined her head to indicate her acceptance of the gift. The merchant handed the sphere to the waiting servant who was collecting the princess' purchases. As the court adjourned for the day, Tethys could hardly wait to try out her game.

Atreus walked through the busy streets early the morning of the festival. His parents were near by, greeting friends and buying gifts. Atreus had found a deep blue gemstone necklace for Tethys, and a red one for Suni. He bought Xen a small musical pipe, and was searching for a gift for Alyna. The Guardian had no hobbies that he knew of, and wore no jewelry or new clothes. He was looking at a stand selling small Andromedan dolls when he saw a man wearing a faded multicoloured top hat and coat. Pushing his way through the growing crowd, he found himself standing in front of a booth selling small, spherical devices. The merchant caught his eye and winked.

"Just the thing for that long transport back to school, cadet," the merchant said to Atreus.

"What is it?" Atreus asked.

"A game," the man replied. "A game that will change the way you look at the world. For you, free of charge.

Nodding, Atreus thanked him and took one. He thought maybe Alyna would like it for those long nights alone in space. Clutching the box, he headed home, suddenly not wanting to part with the game. Maybe he would just try it to make sure it was working okay. He was sure Alyna would understand.

Suni prowled the small market on Starbase 7, looking for the Saturnian and his promised demonstration. She had enjoyed her evening with her parents, but the promise of the game was always nagging in the back of her mind. She bought a few things for her friends almost absently as she scanned the crowd. Finally, she spotted the multicoloured top hat at a nearby booth.

"Ah, young lady," the merchant exclaimed. "Nice to see you again.

Suni smiled, trying to hide her impatience. The Saturnian must have noticed because he winked at her again and rummaged through his suitcase. Suni's anticipation increased and she nearly dove into the suitcase herself to get the game. When the Saturnian reemerged, holding a small object, Suni was suddenly so excited she thought she would burst.

"Here we are," he said, handing her the small sphere. "Just place it in your ear and enjoy the game. It will follow your thoughts.

"How much?" Suni asked, her eyes riveted to the game.

"For you, young lady, free of charge," the Saturnian replied with a smile.

Suni thanked him and closed her fingers around the game. She went immediately back to her room, closed the door, and sat on the bed. Opening her clenched fingers, she held the sphere gently in the palm of her hand. Grinning, she placed the device in her ear and waited. There was a bit of a jolt as the game connected to her neural pathways, causing her to gasp and close her eyes. When she opened them again, she was in a new world.

Suni sat on her bed, staring straight ahead without seeing, a huge smile on her face.

Alyna sat on a piece of rock, trying to decipher the latest transmission from the silver ship. The vessel itself was nearby, hovering in orbit of an inhospitable planetoid. Alyna had no idea what it was waiting for, but she believed the answer lay in the communication it was currently transmitting. One word was constantly being repeated, so she was focusing on translating it. She had been trying for hours, with growing frustration and no real progress.

A shuttle approached the ship from the direction of the UPP interior. It made no attempt to signal the larger ship, or to even slow down, but the docking bay doors slid open and the shuttle disappeared within. Alyna quickly added this occurrence in her report to Admiral Band. While her report was being transmitted, her translator finally found a match for her mystery word. Alyna frowned in confusion, not recognizing the species the translator identified, but recognizing the word.

"Game?" Alyna mouthed the word as she read the translation.

Tethys was enjoying her new game so much, she almost missed the banquet her mother was throwing for the festival. Blinking, she disengaged herself and slipped the sphere into the drawer of her night stand. Taking a deep breath to clear her mind of the game, she arranged her hair and left the room. It was suitable, she decided, that she should be fashionably late. A princess must never be the first one at any occasion. Tethys smiled brightly as she entered the ballroom, but her thoughts lingered on the black sphere in her night stand.

Atreus was late for dinner that night. As he wolfed down his food, his parents tried to ask him about his day. Atreus gave them one word answers between bites, never raising his eyes to look at either of them. Arista gave her husband a sideways look.

"The festival celebrations are on tonight," Arista reminded her son. "Everyone is looking forward to seeing you there. It's been so long since you've been home, the community misses you.

"I miss them, too," Atreus managed, "but I've got some work to do, and I'm heading back to Starcademy tomorrow, so maybe I'll see them another time.

"The festival is only once a year," Umar, his father, pointed out. "You were just telling us this morning how much you want to go.

"Maybe I'll meet you there later," Atreus said as he left the table and went back to his bedroom.

As she heard the door slam, Arista turned to her husband and sighed.

"Do you think he's okay?" she asked. "He never misses the festival.

Umar shrugged. "Maybe something happened today at the market.

Rosie peeked into Suni's room later that night, and saw her daughter sitting on her bed, staring straight ahead without blinking. Rosie moved quietly into the room to stand in front of Suni and spoke her name. The girl didn't move. Gently, Rosie shook her shoulder. Suni blinked and looked up in surprise.

"Mom! You scared me half to death!" Suni gasped.

Rosie sat down as Suni removed the game from her ear. She kept it gripped tightly in one hand, which Rosie noticed. The older Mercurian put her hand on her daughter's knee.

"Honey, I'm concerned about your new toy. It makes you so É distant. You missed the festival celebrations, and dinner with your father. You know how much he wanted to spend time with you before his shift.

Suni smacked her forehead with her palm. "Dad's gone? Mom, why didn't you call me?

"We did, several times. We thought you were asleep and your father didn't want to wake you. You've got an early transport tomorrow," Rosie replied.

Suni glanced over at the chronometer and her eyes widened. "It's so late!

Rosie smiled, but her face remained full of worry. "Suni, I know you like your game, but should it really take up so much of your time? So much that you don't even notice your family?  
Suni returned her mother's grin and patted her on the hand. "Don't worry, Mom. It's just because it's new. The novelty will wear off by the time I get to school, and everything will be just like it was.

Rosie stood up. "If you say so. I'm going to bed, but I'll be up early enough to see you to your transport. Maybe your father will be able to sneak away long enough to say good bye.

Suni felt a stab of guilt as she kissed her mother good night and closed the door. She changed into her pajamas and sat back down on her bed. The game was still in her hand. She looked at it, sitting innocently in the palm of her hand, and sighed.

"I'll play for one more hour, then off to bed," Suni told herself as she slipped the device back into her ear.

Xen waved goodbye to his father's family as he stepped through the dimensional tear. His holiday had gone by without incident. He had enjoyed the Nightsong again, and eating fresh sephra berries with his cousins. They had played in the fields, flying all over the place like they had as children. Xen had expected his mother to be there as well, but his father had told him Suzee was once again exploring unknown dimensions and no one knew where she was. Although he was saddened by the thought, being with his own kind again made him feel as if he never had left.

The people of Vyrill didn't have weekends or holidays, but Xen knew when his time was up. With regret, he said farewell to his father and cousins, and a few minutes later had reappeared in his dorm room at Starcademy. His bunkmate, John, was already in the room and nearly had a heart attack when Xen suddenly appeared.

"Can't you warn me before you do that?" John asked, trying to calm his pounding heart.

"Sorry," Xen replied, fluttering his wings. "I didn't know where else to go.

John smiled. "It's no problem. You just startled me, that's all.  
Xen placed his bag on his bed and headed for the door. "Are you coming for dinner?

John shook his head. "I ate on the transport. See you later!

Xen waved as he left the room. With his bunkmate gone, John rummaged through his own bag until he found his prize. With a triumphant cry, John activated the small black sphere and began to play the game.

The cafeteria was strangely empty. Even though not all the cadets had returned from their holiday, Xen was hardly expecting the school to be so deserted. He got his food from a disgruntled server and sat at his usual table, half expecting his friends to arrive. They had all planned to be back by dinner so they could spend the meal discussing their holidays before classes started the next morning. Xen ate slowly to give them a change to arrive, but they never came.

Xen was getting worried. Leaving the cafeteria, he headed to the docking bay to see if the transports had arrived on schedule. They halls of the school were just as empty as the cafeteria. Xen's wings fluttered as he crept quietly down the hall, hating to disturb the silence with his footsteps. He passed the corridor leading to the teacher's quarters and paused for a moment by the door. He could sense their presences, but their minds were all occupied. He couldn't figure out what they were all doing exactly, except that they were all in a state of bliss. Expanding his mind, he was surprised to find the same emotions resonating from every cadet in the school. The only minds that were functioning normally were in the docking bay. Xen sat on the ground to give his full concentration to the minds in the bay, wondering why they were not affected like the rest of the school. He knew he had to be as cautious as possible until he figured out what was going on. He counted a dozen minds isolated in the docking bay, and he sensed nervous excitement from most of them.

Flying close to the ceiling, Xen headed toward the active minds. He flew into the lounge, where people often watched the shuttles entering and departing from the school, and peeked out the window. He was completely astonished by what he saw. The docking bay was full of transport shuttles, most of UPP design, but two were unlike anything he had ever seen before. They were much smaller and silver coloured, and armed soldiers were moving in and out of them. Xen counted eleven armed invaders, and a twelfth presence still within the ship. The invaders wore body armour and helmets, but they had spiked ridges down their backs that protruded from the armour. Carefully, Xen scanned their minds. They were completely foreign to him, strange emotions and sensations. Xen was forced to break off contact. He began moving toward the door when the twelfth alien emerged from the shuttle. Xen's eyes widened and he quickly slipped into a dimensional tear to avoid being seen.

Seconds later, the Master raised his cowled head to the windows where Xen had been.

Xen reappeared in the hall outside the girls' rooms. His heart was pounding as he sank to the ground and rested his forehead on one hand. The whole school was in a state of distraction and aliens were invading. Xen contemplated calling Admiral Band, but he knew if the Master was here, certainly all communications would be blocked. Fighting down panic, Xen realized where he was and stood. He ran to Tethys and Suni's room, knowing they would be able to think of a plan. He found their door ajar and pushed it open. Rushing inside, he was brought up short by what he saw.

Both Suni and Tethys were sitting on their beds, staring straight ahead without blinking. They both had a stupid grin on their faces. Xen noticed a small black device in their ears. Standing in front of Suni, he shook her gently while calling her name. She didn't move. He did the same to Tethys to no avail. He tried shaking them harder and yelling, but there was no response. Sitting next to Suni, he tried to reach her telepathically, calling her in her mind, but found he couldn't even reach her that way. Breaking free of Suni, he tried reaching Tethys but found her mind equally preoccupied.

Xen was growing more alarmed with every passing minute. Slipping through a tear, he reappeared in Atreus' room and found the Andromedan was also ensnared by the device. He repeated all the tricks he had tried on Suni and Tethys, but nothing worked. Feeling completely helpless and alone, Xen sat next to his immobile friend and wept.

The ship had not moved in days. Alyna watched smaller shuttles coming in and out, reported them all to the Admiral, and continued her vigil. Her translator was working furiously, trying to decode the last communications string transmitted by two shuttles leaving two days ago. Since then nothing had happened. Alyna wondered how long Admiral Band expected her to sit here. She was, in fact, growing bored. This startled her, since she often had sat motionless in space for weeks without any boredom. Perhaps his stake-out mission would help her regain the patience she had lost.

She glanced down at the translator, scanning the words that had already been deciphered. The now familiar word Ôgame' was repeated again, but this time Alyna noticed the word Ôschool' as well. She was growing more curious by the moment as to what the alien ship was trying to achieve in UPP space.

Xen paced around Atreus' room. Even by yelling, he had not been able to snap the Andromedan free from whatever spell he was under. He knew it was because of the black device, but was afraid to remove it until he knew what it was. His wings fluttered as he moved, blowing air directly into Atreus' face. The Andromedan blinked and groaned. Xen was immediately at his side, calling his name. Atreus blinked again and looked over at his friend.

"Xen!" Atreus smiled. His eyes were half closed and he appeared very tired. "How was your holiday?

"You're okay!" Xen exclaimed, giving the Andromedan a hug.

"Hey! What's going on?" Atreus asked, gently breaking free of the embrace.

"What is that thing in your ear?" Xen pointed.

Atreus removed the black sphere and held it tenderly in his palm. Xen was about to take it when Atreus closed his fingers around it. The Vyrillian snatched his hand back and tried to ignore the sudden anger that flashed in Atreus' eyes.

"It's a game," Atreus said, gazing fondly at his closed hand. "I bought it for Alyna, but I think I'll keep it. You don't think she'll mind?

"A game?" Xen repeated. "A game is making everyone a zombie?

"Don't be stupid," Atreus snapped, fitting the device back in his ear. "It's only a game. Everyone will stop by dinner, and we've got class tomorrow.

"But dinner is over, and aliens are" Xen broke off when he realized Atreus had rejoined the game.

Xen tried to wake him again, but found it impossible. Alone again, it suddenly dawned on Xen that it was up to him to save the school and his friends.

Two alien intruders walked down the halls of Starcademy, each carrying a blaster rifle. They weren't moving very fast, and by the relaxed pace it was easy to assume they weren't expecting any trouble on their patrol. Still, the Master had felt uneasy about something and it was up to the soldier to make sure everything was okay.

Xen waited with his own blaster, hidden around a corner. He could hear the footsteps growing nearer, and he fingered the weapon nervously. He hated to use violence, but it was the only way he could think of ridding the school of the intruders. Once the aliens were gone, he could contact the UPP and they could figure out how to stop the game.

The footsteps were almost upon him, and he steeled his nerves. Leaping into the hallway, he suddenly felt himself becoming entangled in what felt like a blanket. He was thrown against the wall and a cold hand was placed over his mouth. The guards passed him as if he wasn't there. Still being held, Xen was forced to wait until the footsteps had faded from hearing before he was released. He shrugged off the blanket and stared at his captor.

"Alyna!" he gasped.

The Guardian put a finger to her lips to silence him as she rearranged her cloak. Xen nodded and clamped his mouth shut. Taking him by the arm, Alyna led him into a deserted classroom and closed the door behind them.

_We must speak telepathically_, Alyna said.

_Alyna! I'm so glad to see you, but they've captured the school!_ Xen exclaimed.

_I know. I believe they are using a game to enslave the cadets of Starcademy. We must stop them._

_ We're too late! We two are the only ones unaffected by the game. The aliens are already here, and the Master is with them_, Xen said mournfully.

This caught Alyna by surprise. Her golden eyes widened and she stared at Xen. _The Master is here?_

Xen nodded. _What should we do?_

_ We must free the students. The school is blockaded and the UPP will be unable to assist us. We must free the school ourselves_.

Alyna waited in the medlab for Xen to reappear. More soldiers had arrived, doubling or possibly tripling Xen's original count. Alyna could hear them moving in the hallway, and wondered why they weren't bothering to check the classrooms and medlab for students. She supposed that they did not share the Master's paranoia about taking Starcademy so easily. She was almost glad that the Master had decided to take a personal part of the invasion. Much like her friends, she despised him for the discord he had caused in the UPP, but especially for driving her people to another galaxy and leaving her the last of her kind. Guardians were supposed to be peaceful and helping, but above all else, Alyna craved revenge.

Xen materialized through a tear, dragging Tethys with him. Suni and Atreus were already in the medlab, lying on their backs as they continued to play the game. Alyna motioned for Xen to place Tethys on the remaining bed, which he did so before throwing himself into a chair.

_Remind me to tell Tethys she's heavy_, Xen said as he took a deep breath.

Alyna gave him a half smile. _At least you did not have to carry Atreus, and I would not mention weight to Tethys if I were you._

Xen smiled and stood up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he moved next to Alyna and stared at his semi conscious friends. _What now?_

_Now we wake them up_, Alyna replied.

Tethys was running through a forest, a gun in her hand and six enemy mutants ahead of her. She was breathing hard, but she knew that with their dea 


	9. Reminisce

REMINISCE  
(for the proper formatting of this chapter, visit my website)

The transport drifted silently though space. The passengers, far from the usual din of conversation, were eerily silent. No one was in the mood for talking since the announcement early that morning from Admiral Band of the UPP. It became publicly known that the strange occurrences of the past few months were all caused by one group, from the almost split with the Spung empire to the recent invasion of Starcademy. The Admiral had let the universe know that the Kaesar had returned, and that once again the UPP was going to war.

Suni stared out the window of the transport, lost in thought. The school was closed for repairs, and the UPP had decided that it would be unsafe and unwise to have the cadets return once Starcademy was up and running again. It was a target, they said, and they didn't want to risk the lives of the students and staff. Normally, having school cancelled would be a time of celebration for Suni, but the circumstances only made her more depressed. The passenger next to her elbowed her sharply in the ribs, and she turned to face him. Atreus was grinning at her, wearing earmuffs to protect his still-healing ears from further damage. In front of them, Tethys and Xen had turned around to face them, kneeling on their seats and peering over the high backs of the chairs. All three of her friends were looking at her expectantly.

"What?" Suni asked.

Tethys gave a short laugh. "Where were you just now? You didn't hear a word we said."

Suni grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I was thinking about … an old friend."

Atreus nodded sympathetically. "Ah yes, the old friend who mysteriously disappeared at the beginning of term."

"The old friend who is Kaesar, right?" Xen spoke up.

Tethys shoved him with her shoulder, causing him to teeter precariously on his seat. As he regained his balance, Suni turned to the window again. She had befriended Spek, the Kaesar who said he hated war, during the last Kaesar invasion. She had trusted him, convinced the UPP to let him stay when his people left, and had even wished him well when he mysteriously vanished to rejoin his kind. Now the Kaesar were back and she felt betrayed by him, thinking that the confidence she had put in him had somehow caused this new invasion.

"I owe him my life," Suni whispered to the window.

"Xen!" Tethys hissed.

The Vyrillian blinked in confusion. "It was obvious that was who she was talking about, wasn't it?"

"But you're not supposed to blurt it out!"

"Why not?"

"It's okay," Suni spoke up, ending their argument. "Can we just not talk about it?"

The four friends fell silent again. Atreus cleared his throat, trying to figure out a way to end the awkward silence. Xen's wings fluttered, slapping Tethys in the arm, although the Neptunian pretended not to notice. Suni's gaze returned to the window.

"It was nice of your parents to let us all come to Starbase 7 with you," Atreus said.

Suni smiled. "You guys are family."

"Family?" Xen repeated, frowning. "You are all related somehow?"

"Not that kind of family," Tethys said. "We've been friends forever, and our parents are friends, so it's almost like we're related by blood."

Xen shook his head. "I don't understand this dimension. If you're not blood related, then you're not family."

Tethys sighed in frustration. "Never mind. Maybe you'll understand someday."

"I don't think I will."

Suni and Atreus laughed. Xen blushed in embarrassment, and turned around to sit properly in his seat again. Tethys rolled her eyes comically and did the same. An attendant came down the aisle of the transport, notifying passengers that they were approaching Starbase 7 and should prepare to disembark.

Security was extra tight as the travelers entered the Starbase loading dock. There were guards everywhere, most of them heavily armed, and everyone who got off the transport had their bags searched and their intentions questioned. As the cadets stood in line, Suni grew more and more impatient at the delay. She could see her mother waiting patiently just outside the security gate.

"Why are they searching our bags?" Suni demanded under her breath. "We just saved the school two days ago!"

"Maybe they thought that was just a ruse and we're really going to attack now," Atreus joked.

"Right. We'll blow up the Starbase we're staying on. Good plan."

Suni dutifully surrendered her bag, stated her name and student ID, and was permitted to leave the docking bay. She flew into her mother's arms, hugging her tightly even though they had only parted company days earlier. Atreus followed soon after, and Tethys a moment behind him. Xen, however, was detained at the gate.

"State your home planet," the guard repeated impatiently.

"The dimension of Vyrill," Xen replied, his wings fluttering nervously.

The guard fingered his weapon. "There's no such place. Where are you from?"

Xen hovered an inch above the ground in his anxiety and glanced over to his friends for help. Rosie marched over to the guard and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned angrily, but his expression quickly changed as he realized who was demanding his attention.

"Dr. Ianni," the guard stammered.

"Let the boy through," Rosie said sternly.

"That's the voice she uses when I've done something wrong," Suni whispered to Tethys.

The Neptunian grinned. "I know it well!"

"But Dr. Ianni, I have to clear everyone from the transport, and he won't tell me his home planet," the guard protested.

"He is from Vyrill," Rosie said. "If you don't believe him, let me sign the form for you. If he does anything, your superior can blame me."

The guard nodded as Rosie took the compupad from his hands and made a few notes. Smiling warmly to Xen, she motioned for him to follow her. The Vyrillian did so, still floating above the ground, without a backwards glance at the guard.

"Sorry about that, Xen," Rosie apologized. "Welcome to Starbase 7."

"It's very … metallic," Xen remarked, looking up at the heavy girders and silver walls.

Rosie giggled and patted him on the shoulder. "It's not that bad. You get used to it, and we do have a garden on the 15th level, similar to the biosphere at school."

"But it's smaller and full of old people," Atreus called back. "We keep trying to play catch there and they keep throwing us out."

Xen's feet touched the ground and he tucked his wings close to his body. He did not like the press of so many people around him, or the thick buzzing of their emotions in his mind. He wondered how Atreus could stand it, with his sensitive hearing.

"Come on, dear," Rosie said, guiding him gently. "It's only until they have the school up and running again."

Alyna hid in an asteroid belt near the Kaesar mother ship. She continued to monitor transmissions, and send the translations to the UPP patrol ships that flew along the border. It was the Admiral's hope that no one knew she was there, and she could act like a fly on the wall to decipher the Master's plan.

She listened carefully as the latest orders were sent from the Kaesar ship, to the waiting silver ships that buzzed around it like bees. After receiving their orders, the ships vanished into space, some deeper into UPP territory while others flew into the darkness. Still, Alyna waited.

Suddenly, a familiar name passed through the decoder. Starbase 7. Alyna put her hand to her mouth in surprise, another habit she had picked up while at Starcademy. The Kaesar were discussing the very station where her friends were seeking refuge from the war. Puzzled, Alyna listened to the remainder of the transmission, and tucked the translation into a pocket of her cloak. This vital news would have to be delivered to the Admiral personally, protected at all costs. Leaving her transmission device to carry on her work, the last Guardian of the UPP abandoned her post for the last known whereabouts of the starship _Goddard_.

"I can't believe it," Suni exclaimed again as she paced around the room. "I just can't believe the Kaesar are back."

"Please, sit down," Tethys said. "You're making me dizzy."

"And where is Alyna? Why wasn't she relocated with the rest of the students? She should be here, with us!" Suni continued, ignoring her friend's plea.

Rosie came into the room with a pot of tea, five mugs, and some snacks. She placed it on the table around which Suni's friends sat, and stood looking at her daughter with her hands on her hips.

"Suni, dear, I know you're worried, but Alyna's perfectly capable of taking care of herself in space," Rosie said. "After all, she was probably flying around the galaxy centuries before you were born!"

Suni pouted and fell into a sitting position on the cushion next to Atreus. The Andromedan already had his mouth full of cookies and his hands wrapped around a steaming mug.

"We'll be back at school before you know it," he said, his voice muffled by the cookies.

Tethys wrinkled her nose in disgust as he sprayed cookie crumbs from his mouth onto his lap. Xen sat with his hands politely in his lap, regarding the plate of food warily. Rosie picked up a piece of sliced fruit and handed it to him.

"I've done my research, Xen. Don't be shy."

The Vyrillian smiled at her and took the fruit. Tethys was peeling another fruit with a silver knife and trying her best not to watch Atreus and Suni eat.

"Why must everything be a competition between you two?" she sighed.

Suni grinned, letting some of the cookies fall from her mouth. Atreus was still jamming snacks into his mouth, trying to outdo his friend.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Suni said as primly as she could.

Tethys rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Would you like an itemized list? Let's start with cake-eating contests on birthdays, then there was that soup drinking contest that left you both reeking of Venusian cattle, the spicy Mercurian beans that nearly incinerated Atreus' tongue, the Andromedan –"

"Okay, okay," Suni held up her hands in surrender, then she winked. "But how many did I win?"

As the argument continued, Rosie chuckled and turned to Xen, who was watching with his confusion evident on his face.

"Ever since Suni and Atreus were babies, they've been trying to out-do each other," Rosie explained. "It was the cutest thing when they were children."

"Oh yeah, Miss Princess?" Suni cried. "Who had to show off at the Starcademy swim meet?"

"I can't help it if none of you can swim," Tethys replied.

"I sink!" Atreus objected.

"All right, you three," Rosie said, picking up the tray, "time for bed. Tethys, you can sleep with Suni in her room. Atreus, you and Xen get the living area."

"Awwww," Suni, Atreus, and Tethys all whined at once.

"Come on, tomorrow we have to figure out what to do with you while you're here. Harlan didn't say how long the school would be closed, so we have a few hundred cadets with lots of time on their hands," Rosie headed into the kitchen. "You four will show them a good example."

As Rosie turned out the lights and headed for her own room, Atreus got to his feet and started organizing the pillows so he could sleep comfortably on the floor.

"Sometimes it's no fun being the kid of the station commander," Suni said sulkily.

Tethys straightened herself gracefully and wiped the back of her hand across her brow, although she was barely sweating. She had a mop in one hand and wore loose fitting cover-alls with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. She had tied her long, thick hair back with a lilac kerchief and stared at the grimy floor in distaste.

"Hey, slacker! Back to work," Atreus called as he walked by her carrying a large, heavy piece of machinery.

Tethys sighed prettily and glanced at her fingers. "This is completely ruining my nails. Why are we on clean-up duty, anyway?"

"We chose the stick of the wrong length," Xen replied, flying down from where he was washing the high ceilings of the cargo bay.

"Drawing straws for duty," Tethys huffed, dragging the mop across the floor. "Who thought of that?"

"Look on the bright side," Atreus commented, moving to stand next to his friends. "We could be crawling through reactor shafts, chipping years of solidified waste off the walls with nothing beneath us but open space."

The Neptunian princess sighed dramatically, moving her mop ineffectively across the floor. Xen flew back to the ceiling and continued scrubbing, while Atreus hefted another large box onto his shoulder.

"Of course," he continued, "I thought Suni's parents would at least – "

"Wait a moment," Tethys interrupted.

Atreus froze in mid-sentence, his mouth still open as he waited for permission to resume his speech. Tethys ignored him, glancing down the length of the bay towards the doors where Suni was supposed to be counting inventory. Instead of her friend, she found a few open boxes with their contents scattered, and a hastily discarded compupad.

"She didn't!" Tethys gasped.

Xen floated down again, following Tethys' gaze. "Who?"

"She did," Atreus replied with an amused smile, "but I bet I know where she went."

"Where?" Xen asked.

"Do you think it's still there?" Tethys gasped.

"What?" Xen nearly shouted, his wings fluttering in annoyance.

Dropping her mop with a laugh, Tethys smiled at Xen and ran towards the cargo bay doors, Atreus only a few steps behind her. Xen followed curiously, unable to figure out what his friends were talking about. In the corridor, Tethys stopped in front of an exhaust grate, checked to make sure no one was watching her, and kicked it sharply with her booted heel. Atreus caught it as if fell and held it open, gesturing for Xen to get inside. The Vyrillian hesitated as Tethys crawled through on her hands and knees. A stern look from the Andromedan made Xen follow, with Atreus not far behind as he fitted the grate back in place.

Xen kept Tethys in sight as much as possible as they crawled through the duct in complete darkness. His wings fluttered nervously against his back, but he swallowed his fear and placed his trust in his friends. When it seemed as if they would be crawling forever, Tethys stopped and opened a small door to her right, barely noticeable to anyone who didn't know it was there. As it swung open, a bright light illuminated the shaft, causing Xen to blink rapidly as he watched Tethys slide through the door. As Xen followed, he saw Suni seated on the floor of a very small room. The walls were decorated with childish drawings done directly onto the steel, and the floor was littered with prepackaged cakes and compupads. Suni was eating one of the cakes when she looked up and noticed the others entering. She smiled broadly.

"There you guys are," she greeted them. "I thought maybe you'd forgotten about our little clubhouse."

"Clubhouse?" Xen repeated, settling himself on the floor next to Suni.

With all four cadets crammed in the small space, they sat cross-legged with their knees touching. Suni winked at Xen and tossed Atreus a cake package as Tethys picked up a compupad and began flipping through it.

"When we were little, we would always hide from our parents here," Atreus explained.

"Atreus would listen until he could hear our parents really worrying, then we'd pop out as if nothing was wrong," Suni laughed. "I still don't think Mom knows about it."

"You were often here together, as children?" Xen asked, eyeing the drawings on the walls.

"Atreus visited more than Tethys," Suni said.

"I am a princess," Tethys reminded them. "I have official duties to perform."

"And since you almost crashed your father's shuttle, he wouldn't let you leave the planet alone," Suni added.

"Not all of us can have your talent for flying," Tethys snapped.

"My mom was always meeting with the UPP," Atreus continued, ignoring the bickering girls. "Mom would drop me off here and go to her meetings. Uncle Bova and Aunt Rosie were always happy to watch me."

"More like poor Aunt Rosie would have to deal with both of you," Tethys said.

"We weren't that bad," Atreus objected.

"Really? Who set the lab on fire?"

"How was I to know those vials were flammable?" Suni muttered.

"And who released all the escape pods?"

'They should have put that button higher," Suni protested. "We kid wouldn't press a big red button?"

"I think you had to stand on my shoulders for that one," Atreus spoke up.

"Hey, I'm arguing our innocence here," Suni told Atreus. "Whose side are you on?"

Xen laughed, enjoying the stories of his friends' youth. He had never had a close companion on Vyrill, not like the bond these three shared. He began to wonder if this was the family that Suni had referred to on the transport.

They sat in the small room for some time, chatting and reliving the adventures of their youth. Atreus was in the middle of telling Xen how Suni had lost the sacred gem of the visiting Plutonian ambassador, when he suddenly stopped.

"Uh oh," he remarked looking at Suni. "I think your mother's coming to check up on us."

Suni, Atreus, Tethys, and Xen stood shamefaced in the messy cargo bay. Rosie stood in front of them, her lips pursed in displeasure as her eyes surveyed the bay the cadets were supposed to clean up. Half of the heavy boxes had been moved, while the remaining ones were still pushed to one side. The floor had been mopped in a very small area, and the inventory that was supposed to have been counted was scattered all over the place.

"I gave you four several hours to complete this job," Rosie said with an uncharacteristic frown on her face. "It looks like you haven't even started! What have you been doing all this time?"

"Sorry, Mom," Suni mumbled.

"Yeah, we're sorry," Atreus added. "We tried to get it done."

"But it's so boring!" Suni finished.

"I'm sorry that not everything can be as exciting as your usual adventures," Rosie told them. "There are other jobs that need to be done as well. Perhaps I was wrong thinking that the four of you could work together."

"No!" Suni exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, Suni," Rosie gave her daughter an apologetic smile. "I'm going to reassign you four to different parts of the Starbase. You can see each other at meals and after hours. I want you to set a good example, Suni. If the other cadets see the commander's daughter goofing off, they'll think it's okay for them to do nothing too."

"Yes, Ma'am," the four cadets said together in a sad tone.

Alyna flew as fast as she could, teleporting short distances as she tried to find the _Goddard_. The ship had changed locations and communication frequencies, since the UPP was at war, and Alyna was having trouble locating it. She slowed down and closed her eyes, willing herself to relax. Guardians were not prone to panicking, but after being captured by the space pirate and abandoned by her kind, Alyna was feeling more anxious. The entire UPP space was in her hands, her responsibility. She was alone in protecting these foolish, endearing planet-dwellers.

Feeling more like herself again, Alyna set out. She had to find the Admiral, had to warn him about what she had overheard, before it was too late.

Suni sat in her father's office, surrounded by stacks of paper and compupads. Beside her stood an empty filing cabinet, waiting to be filled with well organized requests and reports. With a groan, Suni picked up the first paper and read it over. A requisition from the kitchen for more pickles. Rolling her eyes, she placed it on the pile of food-related requests and returned to her task. Next, a duplicate copy of a report filed by one of the minor engineers about a leaky toilet on the fourteenth deck. Suni's head fell forward and landed on the desk with a thud. She almost wished she was back in the cargo bay sorting through things with her friends.

Suddenly, the computer on her father's desk began to beep. A schematic of the base was on the screen, a small portion of it outlined in red. Suni raised her head and leaned closer to the screen, trying to figure out what the warning was for. It looked like one of the landing bays, where most of the deliveries were made to the base. Suni wondered what had happened when the entire Starbase shuddered, throwing Suni to the ground. She nearly smiled as the familiar excitement grew within her and she raced out of the office to the command deck.

Commander Bova was hunched over a terminal, his eyes rapidly scanning the words that appeared on the screen. People in uniform were rushing around, and red lights were flashing. Bova looked up and saw Suni standing by his office door.

"Go find your mother," Bova shouted. "She'll need your help."

"Dad, what happened?" Suni cried, suddenly worried.

Bova shook his head. "An explosion in Landing Bay D. The cause is still unconfirmed, but we've already got reports of casualties. Go to the medlab and find your mother."

Suni's eyes widened in shock. Atreus was in Landing Bay D, helping the chief engineer repair some old transports. Without acknowledging her father's order, she ran from the command deck. She had to find Atreus, and Tethys and Xen. She had to know that they were safe before she did anything else.

Suni pushed her way through the crowds of people to the edge of the platform. She looked down the thirteen levels to the centre market, where the citizens of the Starbase met and shopped. People were milling about in groups, their buzzing conversation reaching Suni's ears, but she paid them no mind. She glanced at the doorway leading to the rearmost three landing bays and her heart nearly stopped. Already she could see some of her mother's medical team leading injured workers away. Suni squinted but could not tell if Atreus was in the crowd.

"Atreus!" she called.

Her voice was lost in the cacophony of the second explosion. As Suni leaned over the rail, the market place erupted in flames. Suni was thrown backwards as a pillar of fire shot through the centre of the Starbase, carrying with it the screams of the dying. Panic spread almost as quickly as the fire, as the thousands of inhabitants of Starbase 7 fled for their lives. Suni sat on the floor in shock, unnoticed by the masses. Her home was being destroyed, the place she grew up and knew better than anywhere, the only place she had ever felt safe.

A pair of strong hands grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to her feet. Spinning around, she was engulfed in a tight hung before being held at arms length. She found herself being scrutinized by her father's dark, worried eyes.

"Thank goodness you're not hurt," Bova said. "I need you to listen to me. Go straight to our quarters and wait for me in the escape pod. Understand?"

"Our home," Suni whispered, tears in her eyes. "Dad, our home."

"I know, I know," Bova said soothingly, squeezing his daughter in a hug. "Please, do what I ask, Suni."

"Okay," Suni sniffed.

Bova touched her cheek and let go of her hand. Suddenly, Suni felt very cold. Before her father could disappear, she turned to him.

"Dad! I love you!"

Bova smiled, one of his rare smiles. "I love you too. Now hurry!"  
Suni nodded as Commander Bova vanished in the crowd. As she moved, she heard an announcement ordering everyone to their designated escape pods. Suni's stomach twisted in a painful knot as she descended the stairs to her parents' quarters. She could remember playing a fighter pilot in the escape pod, shooting at space pirates until her mother caught her and told her the pod was not a toy. Angrily, she wiped a tear from her cheek.

Suddenly, she remembered Atreus, possibly lying injured somewhere. Torn between her father's request and the safety of her dearest friend, Suni disappeared down a maintenance alley and slipped down the back way to the landing bays.

Tethys had no time to listen to the announcement to abandon ship. She was in the medlab labeling jars, when the first explosion sounded. Seconds later, the medlab was full of injured people, and Rosie's staff needed all the hands they could get. She did what she could to make people comfortable, finding bandages and beds until a doctor could see them. Rosie had left with a small team to treat those too injured to leave the landing bay.

And then, the second explosion had rocked the Starbase, and the evacuation began.

Tethys found herself helping the injured to their escape pods, launching them into the depths of space. She thought of Xen, Atreus, and Suni, wondering where they could be and if they were safe. She knew she could not leave the Starbase until she was certain they were all right. She would not be able to live with herself otherwise.

Pushing through the press of people, Tethys fought her way down the corridors and into the slowly emptying Starbase. She was passing a storage locker when the third explosion detonated from within. This blast shoved Tethys into the air, carrying her down the hall until the wall of fire caught up with her. She felt the flames on her back, smelled the burning scent as her hair ignited, and lost consciousness.

The third explosion was close, so close that Suni was nearly caught in it. She pressed herself against the wall of the maintenance alley, squeezing her eyes closed as she listened to the flames roar past. The sound filled her ears and when it died down, Suni waited a full minute before poking her head into the hallway.

The walls were scorched black and hot to touch. Charcoal remains of people littered the ground, with melted plastic remnants of compupads around them. The door of a locker had been peeled open like a fruit, and Suni suspected the bomb had been planted inside. She looked the other way and saw a large canister taking up half the passage. It appeared undamaged, and Suni walked up to it, wondering why it had been spared. On the other side of the canister was a body, but this one had been hardly touched by the flames that had incinerated the others.

"Tethys?" Suni whispered, falling to her knees next to her friend.

The Neptunian's long green hair had been burned, as had the back of her arms. She still wore the cover-alls she had been given earlier, and they seemed to have taken most of the damage. Gently, Suni shook her friend, hoping for a response. Tethys moaned and opened her eyes, staring blearily at Suni's face.

"Suni?" she mumbled, sitting up and coughing. One hand went to her head and her eyes widened in shock. "What happened to my hair?"  
"Don't worry," Suni replied with a smile. "It looks good short."

She helped Tethys to her feet and they retreated back to the alley. Suni was relieved that Tethys was all right, and she held the Neptunian's hand tightly in her own.

Alyna picked up the distress beacons as she continued to look for the _Goddard_. She stopped moving and worked to pinpoint their locations. There were dozens of them, all orbiting a central station with the same coordinates as Starbase 7, where her friends were seeking refuge. Alyna magnified the beacons, sending them out on every UPP channel, and teleported away.

It took her three jumps to arrive within sight of the Starbase. From the calmness of space, it appeared as if nothing were amiss, except for the escape pods making their way slowly towards the closest UPP planet. Alyna scanned the Starbase's internal frequency and soon picked up the reports of explosions and the order to abandon ship.

The Guardian frowned sadly. She had hoped to avoid this, but clearly her warnings were too late. If this base was already damaged, it would only be minutes before the assault on the others would begin. Alyna stared at the mildly spinning base and thought of her friends, knowing she could do nothing to help them if they were trapped inside. If she teleported onto the Starbase, she could arrive in the centre of an explosion. Besides, there were others in space now who could use her guidance.

She turned away from the doomed Starbase and counted the drifting escape pods. More would soon be launched, but she could at least keep these ones safe until a UPP ship arrived. As she neared the first pod, she felt a subtle shift in space, like she did when she was teleporting. Suddenly there was a sleek, black ship before her, one she recognized immediately at Kaesar. The ship wasted no time before firing on one of the pods. Alyna deflected the laser fire and pulled the pod closer to herself, but her actions did not go unnoticed. The ship began firing multiple blasts, aiming at several pods at once. Alyna did the best she could, but one of the pods was struck and exploded before her eyes. The Guardian quickly gathered the remaining ones together so she could more easily defend them, but lost two more in the process.

Fueled by grief and rage, two very planet-based emotions, Alyna met the Kaesar ship head on.

The smoke was growing thicker as Suni and Tethys made their way toward the landing bay. Tethys leaned heavily against her friend, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Suni was coughing against the acidic smoke, as she dragged her friend forward. The Neptunian's skin was getting very dry as the liquid that kept her alive evaporated in the heat.

"Come on," Suni said encouragingly. "This isn't nearly as bad as when you spent the summer with me and my grandparents on Mercury."

Tethys managed to glare up at her friend, but didn't waste her precious breath on speech.

"That was a particularly hot summer too," Suni continued. "Grandpa practically turned your room into a greenhouse, the humidity was so high, but you loved it. Next time we visit, we're going outside more often."

Tethys made a sound that was almost a laugh, and Suni adjusted her weight. They were nearly at the site of the first explosion, but Tethys couldn't last much longer without moisture. Suni kept talking, her eyes scanning the pipes along the walls and her mind wishing that Atreus was here. He was always better at spotting engineering-type things than she was.

"A few more steps," Suni promised, finally seeing what she had been looking for. "Just a few more steps and you'll get a much deserved shower."

Tethys made no reply, and Suni looked down at her friend. She was no longer moving on her own, her body hanging limply from Suni's shoulder. The Mercurian-Uranusian picked up the pace, setting Tethys down against the wall opposite from her goal.

"I wish I had heat powers," Suni muttered as she shot a few electrical sparks at the metal tube.

She was never clear exactly why, perhaps the metal had been weakened by the explosion, but the sudden rush of water caused Suni to yelp in surprise and jump out of the way before she short-circuited herself. Tethys was right in the way, and the wave crashed into her, knocking her lifeless body over. Suni waited impatiently as the corridor filled with water up to her ankles. The water helped clear some of the smoke from the air, the moisture breaking up the dense air particles, and Suni found herself breathing a little better. Coughing, she scooped some water in her hands to drink, enjoying the cool sensation on the back of her throat for once in her life. It felt like an eternity before Tethys sat up, her eyes once again sparkling, although not as brightly as usual. Smiling, she stood and embraced Suni.

"You saved me," she said gratefully.

"You're welcome," Suni replied. "Now we have to extend the favour to Atreus and Xen, if they're still onboard."

"Grozit!" Suni swore, punching the thick metal doors.

As she rubbed her now sore knuckles, Tethys pushed some debris away from the console and tapped a few buttons. She frowned and hit the console in anger, mimicking what Suni had done only second earlier. As the two girls stood nursing their throbbing hands, they grinned sheepishly at each other.

"The doors are sealed," Tethys said. "That means there's a rupture inside, doesn't it? A hole in the hull?"

Suni shrugged. "Come on, we can take a look through the observation lounge."

The hallway was more badly damaged than the others, littered with fallen pieces of the Starbase itself. Thankfully, they saw no more dead bodies as they climbed to the door leading to the glassed-in lounge. In happier times, Suni had often come here with her mother to watch the workers unload supplies. Rosie had explained that without these transports, no one on the Starbase could live, but the young Suni had still found the fighters more interesting.

"Look," Tethys said, pointing through the glass.

The lounge was the only room they had found so far that looked as it had. The few benches were upright, the lights brightly illuminated, and the thick glass in one piece. Suni joined her friend, her eyes scanning the landing bay, which looked nothing like it should.

The bay itself could only be described as demolished. The transports were in pieces, the walls and ceiling crumbling, and the ground stained with black. The majority of the bay was empty, the smaller pieces of wreckage having been sucked into space through the small hole on the landing bay doors. Suni felt tears welling in her eyes as she thought of Atreus floating lifelessly in space, until her eyes rested on where Tethys was pointing.

Huddled to one side were a group of people, four by Suni's quick count. They were pressed tightly together and shielded by a yellow glow that reminded the girls of a dimensional portal. Suni couldn't see the features of the people, but she did see someone with transparent dragonfly-type wings and silvery white skin.

"Xen!" Suni exclaimed, hitting Tethys on the arm. "It's Xen!"

Tethys rubbed her arm and shot an angry look at her friend, but moved to the small control panel in the lounge. She paused for a moment, her eyes passing over the buttons as she tried to remember what to push first.

"I know this will set up a shield to seal the breach," Tethys muttered, "but I don't know how to do it."

Suni peered at the controls over Tethys' shoulder, standing on her tiptoes to see. Reaching out with one finger, she sent a spark of electricity into the panel, causing all the buttons to light up at once. Tethys stared at her with a horrified expression on her face, but Suni only pointed to the landing bay again.

"Dad told me once that in case of an emergency, the base will automatically repair any holes in the hull," Suni explained as a shimmering shield materialized over the breach.

"You nearly stopped my heart," Tethys scolded her.

"Don't worry," Suni winked. "Electricity is good for starting that again too."

In a moment, the group inside the landing bay materialized in the lounge. Xen collapsed on the ground as the other three rose nervously to their feet, looking around in amazement. Tethys hurried to Xen, as Suni engulfed one of the rescued people in a tight hug.

"Worried about me?" Atreus asked.

He didn't appear to be injured, other than some dried blood on the side of his head. Of course, Suni knew how difficult it was to break an Andromedan. She had tried often enough when they were children. The other two workers were both human, and one cradled a broken arm.

"What happened?" Suni demanded.

"There was a bomb," Atreus said. He shook his head. "I don't know how it got on the bay floor, but no one saw it until it went off. I don't remember much else. In the confusion, I was trying to help people who were trapped under things, and a few medics rushed in and scooped some people up, but when the hull breached the doors sealed themselves and we were trapped."

"Then he appeared," one of the workers spoke up, gesturing to Xen. "Out of nowhere, he grabbed me and Connor and Atreus and told us to stay close together. He did something, and we were fine. We could breath, we weren't being pulled out to space or anything."

"We were the lucky ones," the worker named Connor said quietly. "I saw lots of good men being sucked outside. They didn't deserve to die that way."

"Get to an escape pod," Suni told them. "There's one just down the hallway that isn't launched yet."

The two workers nodded and left the lounge. Atreus watched them go and sighed, glancing down at Xen. The Vyrillian was breathing deeply, exhausted after holding the shield for so long. Tethys cradled him in her arms and looked up at her friends.

"Now what?" she asked. "We should get going too."

Suni shook her head. "Not until I find my parents. Atreus, did you see my mother? Tethys said she lead a team here after the first explosion."

Atreus shook his head. "If she was here, she must have left before the doors sealed. I'm sure she got out."

"Then we have to head back to the command post and find my Dad," Suni said.

Atreus met her gaze with worried filled eyes. He bit his lip and put a hand on her shoulder. "Shouldn't we escape? Isn't that what your dad would want us to do?"

Suni felt tears welling in her eyes as her father's last wishes sprang up in her head.

_Please, do what I ask, Suni._

Stubbornly, she shook her head. "We have to find him. He could be hurt! I'm not leaving until I know both my parents are safe."

Atreus reached down and picked up Xen, holding his small body in his arms. Tethys rose to her feet, one hand absently going to her shortened hair. Suni watched both her friends, guilt stabbing her in the stomach like a knife. There could be other bombs on the Starbase, the whole place could go at any moment.

"There's an escape pod in my parents' quarters," Suni said at last. "We can pass the command post on the way and check if my Dad is there, and then we can go, okay?"

Tethys put her arm around Suni's shoulder. "I can't imagine how you must feel, but your parents would want you safe, no matter what happens to them."

Suni nodded, not trusting herself to speak as the tears flowed freely from her eyes. She allowed Tethys to lead her back into the hallway, Atreus a step behind.

Alyna swept away another blaster bolt, trying not to think of the few that made it by. She was still loosing escape pods, a single Guardian unable to keep up with the barrage of fire from the large Kaesar ship. She could hear the frightened minds of those huddled in the pods, silent prayers for their safe keeping that she was doing her best to fulfill. The Kaesar were toying with her. They would fire a few single shots, easily deflected, and then open rapid fire with so many lasers that Alyna had to defend herself more than the others. It was a battle she could not hope to win.

She glanced over at Starbase 7. A few more escape pods had flown clear, only to be picked off by the Kaesar before she could reach them. Alyna did not dare abandon the group of pods she had gathered, but it was nearly unbearable to watch the pods explode and the silent prayers vanish.

The Kaesar fired again, this time ignoring the pods completely. Alyna was consumed in laser fire, unable to escape as she hastily raised her cloak for protection. It did very little, the laser burning her skin and causing blue blood to float free into space. Her heart pounded and she lacked the strength to do much more.

Suddenly, another volley of laser fire appeared, this time directed at the Kaesar ship. Slowly, the massive black vessel turned away from Alyna and her charges to face a new threat. Alyna grinned as she recognized the _Goddard_, the Admiral of the UPP's flagship. As the two massive ships exchanged fire, Alyna herded the escape pods a safe distance and closed her eyes for a moment. They were safe for now.

The Kaesar ship turned and vanished in the blink of an eye, as a final explosion ripped through Starbase 7. Alyna watched, horrified as the base her friends had called home was torn apart. She shielded herself with her cloak as jagged pieces of metal were catapulted into space, until nothing remained.

"No!" Suni screamed, pressing her face against the glass of the escape pod.

Her home, her family, her childhood exploded before her eyes. She had not found her father in the command post, had not found her mother in the medlab as she and her friends ran to escape the doomed Starbase. Now it was gone, completely gone, and Suni's life would never be the same.

Tethys pulled her friend away from the window and hugged her tightly. Suni's hot tears moistened the cover-alls the Neptunian still wore, but neither of them paid any attention to it. Xen and Atreus sat on the other side of the pod, regarding Suni silently with sad expressions on their faces. The Vyrillian's wings dropped in mourning, and Atreus lowered his gaze to his feet.

"Mom, Dad," Suni sobbed. "They're gone. I never… I didn't…"

"Shhhh," Tethys soothed, rubbing Suni's back. "There's still hope."

Suni wiped her eyes and said nothing. There was nothing left to say. The Kaesar had tried to take everything from her, and they had succeeded at last.


	10. Invasion

INVASION

(for the proper formatting of this chapter, visit my website)

Dreams are funny things. I spent my life dreaming of what I would do, what I would see, what I would become. I wanted more, to be famous like my parents' friends. An ambassador, a fighter, a commander, a leader. I wanted all those things, once. Strange, the more you dream, the less you appreciate what you already have. Then, one day, it disappears, and suddenly your dreams don't seem to matter anymore. Why strive for greatness, when the only people you want to see you are gone?

Admiral Harlan Band stood on the command post of the _Goddard_, staring out at the wreckage of Starbase 7. He shook his head sadly as he watched the hollow shell of the base slowly spinning, remembering how it had been and the lives that had been lost. They had recovered less than half of the escape pods that were housed on the base, assuming that all had been launched. The cargo hold of the _Goddard_ was full of the pods, the dazed and confused inhabitants of Starbase 7 wandering the halls of his ship. A third of the population of the base safe, with the rest missing.

He turned and nodded to the cadet that materialized on his deck, saluting smartly. Alyna's face was expressionless as always, but the Admiral thought he saw traces of worry in her golden eyes. As the Guardian relaxed, Harlan sat down in the captain's chair to hear her report.

"I have found two more pods, sir," she said. "Both were heavily damaged, but I was able to restore life support. There are fifteen survivors in each, and six dead."

Harlan sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. "Thank you, Alyna. Take some time to rest."

The Guardian shook her head. "I am sorry, Admiral, but I cannot rest until I find the missing pods. It is my duty to protect those who travel through my sector of space."

Harlan nodded and dismissed the cadet. She inclined her head and vanished. The exhausted Guardian was the least of his worries, with the Kaesar invasion in full force and reports of sabotage and destruction coming in from all over the UPP. Six of the nine Starbases that were scattered across UPP space had been demolished, and word was  
coming in quickly of attacks on the outer colonies. The Guardians were gone, the Yensidians threatening to seal off the dimensional borders, and the Spung were arguing over whether they should participate in the defense plan. The whole ordeal gave Harlan a headache.

The door to the command post slid open, and Harlan raised his head to see who the bearers of bad news were this time. In spite of his worries, he had to smile at the three cadets who entered. Rising to his feet, he held open his arms in a momentary lapse of military protocol and embraced each cadet in turn.

"I'm so proud of you," he told each of them.

Xen blushed lavender in embarrassment. "We did nothing special."

"You saved my skin," Atreus objected, "and the skins of a few others. Without you, I'd be floating in space somewhere right now."

"Alyna would love that," Tethys added. "More junk for her to clean up in space."

Atreus stuck out his tongue at his friend, and Tethys gasped in mock outrage.

"Alyna's found some more escape pods," Harlan continued, watching the young cadets closely. "You can tell Suni there's no news."

Tethys nodded gravely and saluted. The Admiral returned the gesture and watched the three cadets file out. He sighed, momentarily recalling his own youth, and felt a stab of sorrow as he realized two of his dearest friends were lost in the stars. He thought of Rosie and Bova, letting his mind's eye linger on their faces, before turning back to the present and the oncoming war.

"Suni?" Tethys said softly, cracking the door open.

The light from the hallway made a yellow streak across the dark floor of the room. The lights were off, the windows covered, and the comm. system was shut down. The room was complete silence and darkness. As the door creaked open a little wider, wide enough for Tethys, Atreus, and Xen to step inside, a figure stirred.

"Any news?" Suni asked in a voice hoarse from crying.

Tethys frowned prettily, her eyes creased with worry. "More pods were found, but no sign of your parents."

"Then go away."

The Neptunian looking imploringly at Atreus. For the two days they had been on the _Goddard_, Suni had not left this room. Admiral Band had denied her request for a ship to search for her parents, saying it was too dangerous for her to fly alone with the Kaesar attacks. Instead, she had locked herself away, refusing to see anyone.

"Suni, we're worried about you," Atreus began awkwardly. "This isn't like you."

"My parents have never been dead before, have they?" Suni snapped. "Go away!"

"You can't stay in here forever," Tethys tried. "Alyna is doing all she can, and Uncle Harlan has patrols searching all over the place. They'll find your parents."

Suni turned to look at her friends. Even in the dim light of the open door, they could see how haggard she looked. Her eyes were hard and full of unshed tears, and had dark circles underneath them from a lack of sleep.

"If Admiral Band would give me a ship," she began coldly, "I could find them myself."

"Even I wouldn't give you a ship the way you are now," Atreus said. "Take a look at yourself, Suni. You've barely eaten, you don't sleep, and you smell. Have you even showered since we got here?"

The Mercurian-Uranusian turned her back to her friends. "Get out."

"Fine," Atreus said, taking Tethys by the arm. "Just remember, we're not the enemies here, and we didn't kill your parents. Neither did Uncle Harlan."

Suni didn't say a word as her two friends left the room, once again closing her in the darkness and sorrow of her heart.

"How is she?" Xen asked, his delicate wings fluttering nervously.

The trio sat in the mess hall of the ship, absently playing with their food while their minds were occupied by something else. Atreus sighed heavily for the hundredth time, spinning his fork around in one hand while cradling his head in the other. Tethys looked up at Xen and tried to smile.

"She's the same," Tethys replied. "She won't eat or sleep, or talk to us."

"Her mind is in turmoil," Xen said softly. "She blames herself for her parents' deaths. She hates herself for not listening to her father's last request."

"Don't talk like that," Atreus snapped, bending the fork effortlessly. "Rosie and Bova may still be alive. We haven't found all the pods yet. They were probably picked up by another ship and are sitting around worrying about whether we're alive or not."

Xen's eyes widened in surprise at the ferocity in Atreus' voice. His wings fluttered as if he were about to take off, and a slight lavender blush appeared on his cheeks. The Andromedan's shoulders sagged as he relaxed and smiled apologetically to his friend.

"Uncle Harlan is bringing the ship to Pluto colony, to drop off the survivors," Tethys said. "Maybe we should stay there too, help Suni work through this."

Atreus nodded. "We can work from there, try to find news about the missing pods. Someone must know something."

"I believe I will stay," Xen said softly. "Alyna will not go to a colony, and I would like to help. I am a cadet of the UPP, after all."

"After the first war, I thought I'd never see war again," Atreus whispered. "How could they come back and ruin everything?"

"I was on Neptune during the first Kaesar invasion," Tethys began. "Suni was on the Spung Homeworld, and I heard of the UPP colonies being attacked."

"But last time, they avoided colonized planets when they tried to push into UPP space," Atreus reminded her. "They only went after the Spung."

"Suni was on the Homeworld when the attack came?" Xen repeated. "How did she survive?"

"That Kaesar friend she mentioned before," Atreus replied with a smile. "I met him when we were back at Starcademy, after the Kaesar left. I never liked him as much as Suni did."

"He stopped the war," Tethys reminded her friend. "While you were on New Andromeda and I was on Neptune, he was with Suni and saved her life. We owe him that, at least."

"Without him," Atreus said, "we never would have met. Suni would be dead, and none of this would have ever happened."

Harlan watched the dogfight on the view screen. The quick and powerful Kaesar fighters out numbered the Stardog ships at least five to one, but the UPP ships were putting up a hell of a fight. Harlan watched stoically, his face impassive as ships exploded before his eyes and lives were extinguished. Inwardly, he mourned the loss of every pilot who lost their lives, but he had to remain distant from the tragedy he was helping to create.

The elite Air Strikers, a team to which he had once belonged, lead the assault. Their superior ability nearly evened the odds, but still the UPP was loosing ground. Most of the _Goddard_'s light ships were searching for the remaining escape pods from Starbase 7, although after three days the chances of finding more survivors was slim.

Harlan sighed, looking over at the compupad beside his chair. The Yensidians were shutting down the portals until the threat to the UPP was gone. Catalina had sent apologies and promises to fight for support, but Harlan knew Yensid would not risk its citizens. Even if trade over the past few years had been profitable for both dimensions, they would not send their people to war in a foreign dimension. At least Catalina would be safe in Yensid with Suzee, should the UPP defenses fail.

The second dispatch was more of the same. The Neptunians were demanding the return of their crown princess in return for aid, the Andromedans were rallying support although no one wanted another war, and the Spung were already on their way. Harlan smiled at the message, glad to know that he could always rely on Radu.

The admiral of the UPP turned his attention back to the fight, pleased to see his ships making progress. A few Kaesar vessels appeared to be spontaneously exploding, which puzzled Harlan although he had a sneaking suspicion what was happening.

"Magnify coordinates BX2-CZ7," Harlan ordered.

The image on the screen zoomed towards the enemy ships, where a solitary figure was teleporting from ship to ship. Alyna paused long enough to tear out a handful of crucial wiring from each ship before moving on to the next. Harlan smiled.

Suddenly, the Kaesar fighters began to withdraw back to their mother ship. Harlan watched for a moment as his own fighters hesitated, waiting for orders. Harlan motioned to his second-in-command to signal the fighters' return, all the while wondering what the large black ship was up to.

Alyna materialized on the deck beside Harlan, saluting sharply. Harlan nodded to her and was about to ask for a report when the view screen showing the returning fighters went black. As the communications officers struggled to find the problem, the screen suddenly blinked back to life, showing a hooded figure. Alyna grew tense, although her face remained expressionless.

"I am Admiral Harlan Band of the UPP," Harlan introduced himself.

"I am the Master," the hooded figure hissed.

"You have violated UPP space and directly attacked its citizens," Harlan continued. "I demand you cease hostilities and leave our space."

"Perhaps it is you who should leave," the Master replied. "Or perhaps an agreement can be reached."

Harlan said nothing but raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"I will receive an ambassador from the UPP to treat for peace," the Master said. "I believe you have a talented young diplomat on bard, one Suni Ianni, formerly of Starbase 7."

_Caution_, Alyna's voice ran in Harlan's mind. _He is far too eager to receive Suni_.

"A delegation can be arranged, meeting on neutral ground," Harlan replied.

The Master laughed. "Neutral ground, when we are deep within enemy territory? Come now, Admiral. You know as well as I that is quite impossible."

"A ship in common space," Harlan suggested, "between our two fleets. We will allow your delegates to bard and we will discuss peace there."

The hooded figure seemed to consider the offer for a moment, before nodding. "Very well, Admiral. I will send you coordinates and a time. I look forward to seeing Suni Ianni again."

The view screen flickered and the image of the destroyed Starbase returned. Harlan watched it for a moment longer before turning once more to his second-in-command.

"Inform the refugees our trip to Pluto colony will be delayed, and order cadet Ianni to my study immediately."

"Yes, sir," came the reply as Admiral Band left the bridge.

Suni didn't turn as the door to her quarters slid open and closed again. She sat motionless, staring at the blank wall in front of her, trying to summon more tears to her eyes. Three days worth of food sat untouched on a table next to her, each dish reminding her painfully of the meals her mother had made. She replayed the last few hours of Starbase 7 in her head again, desperate to find a way to make it end differently. If only she had listened to her father's last request. If only she and her friends had worked instead of slacking off. If only they had gone to Neptune or New Andromeda or Vyrill instead of the Starbase. If only …

"Thank goodness I don't have super sensitive smelling," Atreus said behind her.

Suni didn't respond. She didn't move as her chair spun around and she found herself face to face with her three friends.

"Consider this an intervention," Atreus continued, picking Suni up and carrying her effortlessly into the bathroom.

"The Admiral wants to talk to you," Tethys added, as Atreus left the bathroom and the Neptunian took his place. She closed the door and turned on the shower.

While they waited, the boys began to tidy up the room, turning on the lights and discarding the uneaten food. Eventually Suni and Tethys emerged from the shower, and Suni sat down lifelessly on the couch. Xen pushed a fresh plate of food towards her.

"Eat something, please."

Suni stared at the food. "I'm sorry, guys. This is all my fault. I've been so selfish, so sure of myself, I never thought anything like this would ever happen."

Suni looked up at the stunned expressions on her friends' faces, tears forming in her eyes. She remembered every time they had almost died because of her, every plan and action that had endangered them.

"It's okay," Tethys said, sitting beside her and rubbing her back.

"It's not," Suni pushed her friend's comforting hand aside. "It's all my fault! Everything is because I leap before I look. I failed you, I've failed Mom and Dad, and now they're…"

The words stuck in Suni's throat. Atreus, Xen, and Tethys exchanged sad looks. The door to the room opened and closed a second time, but this time Suni looked up.

Alyna walked towards her, her long cloak torn and blackened as it hung limply from her shoulders. Her hair was in disarray and her fur was clumped together in places with dried blood. Suni gasped when she saw her friend, and Alyna fell to her knees in front of Suni, clasping the pink girl's hands in her own. The Guardian's normally expressionless face was full of remorse.

"I am sorry," Alyna said. "I could not help you or your family, Suni. Your home was destroyed and it was all my fault. I have failed you."

Suni blinked back her tears and slid off the couch to kneel with her friend. She wrapped her arms around Alyna, hugging her tightly. Caught off guard, Alyna was unsure how to react. Hesitantly, she put her own arms around Suni and held her. The two were motionless, the only sound was Suni's gently sobbing into Alyna's cloak. A shy smiled spread over Alyna's face and she closed her golden eyes until Atreus coughed politely.

"The Admiral is waiting," Xen reminded them gently.

Suni and Alyna stood. The Mercurian-Uranusian wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a deep breath, nodding. Smiling almost like her old self, she thanked her friends and left the room.

"Has she recovered?" Xen asked nervously.

Tethys shook her head, her shortened hair hitting her cheeks. "It will take longer than three days."

"I am relieved to be forgiven," Alyna said.

Atreus put a hand on her shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, or Suni's either. There's nothing either of you need to be forgiven for."

Alyna dipped her head. "Excuse me, please. I must rest and it is far too crowded in space right now. The Admiral has kindly given me a space on board the ship, although I admit I do not find it very comfortable."

"Aren't you curious why the Admiral wants Suni?" Xen asked.

Alyna paused at the doorway. "I know why, Xen, and I worry for Suni. That is why I must rest now. I will need all my strength to protect her."

As the door closed, the three remaining cadets exchanged confused shrugs and settled down to wait for Suni's return.

The sound of the door opening woke Tethys, and she elbowed the sleeping form next to her. Atreus snorted and sat up, wiping the drool from his mouth and blinking sleepily. Xen dozed in a chair across from the, buzzing slightly as he breathed, until Atreus threw a pillow at him and he woke up with a start.

"Don't you guys have your own rooms?" Suni asked as she sat in an unoccupied chair. "Where's Alyna?"

"In her own room," Atreus replied. "What did Uncle Harlan say?"

"He wants me to be the UPP ambassador to the Kaesar and negotiate peace," she said unenthusiastically.

"That's great!" Tethys exclaimed. "There's no way you won't get a high ranking position after this!"

Suni didn't reply. She picked at the fabric covering her chair and avoided Tethys' gaze.

"What else?" Atreus asked.

"The Master asked for me by name," Suni said.

They sat in shocked silence for a minute.

"You can't go!" Atreus cried.

"The Kaesar won't speak with anyone else!"

"They've tried to kill you."

"They've tried to kill us all," Tethys reminded him. "Every time the master tried to weaken the UPP, we stopped him. They're getting desperate."

Suni stared at the Neptunian. "Are you saying they blew up the Starbase to kill us?"

Tethys didn't reply, but her expression revealed exactly what she thought. Suni stood up and began to pace around the room. Destroying her home had been more than an act of war, it had been a direct and personal attack.

"We stopped him before," Atreus said, "we'll stop him again. If he's after Suni, we should keep her safely on the _Goddard_ and-"

"No," Suni spoke up. "I don't want them to target this ship because I'm on it. I'm going to meet the Master."

"Suni," Tethys pleaded, "you can't honestly believe they'll listen to a UPP ambassador after all they've done."

"I won't be an ambassador," Suni replied, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I'll be an assassin. I'll go to the Kaesar ship and kill the Master."

The small UPP transport flew silently away from the _Goddard_, escorted by three light fighters and one Guardian. From the command post, Admiral Band waited with two cadets by his side, watching the approaching Kaesar delegation. As the lead Kaesar ship docked against the UPP transport, Admiral Band exhaled a breath he had not realized he had been holding. The three Kaesar fighters took up positions facing the UPP ships, both sides with weapons ready but not firing. The Admiral turned to Atreus and Tethys.

"The peace of the UPP is in good hands," he said, trying to sound optimistic. He had no doubt that if anyone could succeed, it was Suni, but he was still worried that the Kaesar Master had asked for her by name.

Tethys held Atreus' hand tightly, her eyes locked on the UPP ship on the screen. Atreus glanced down at her and tried to smile, praying that Suni would not go through with her plan.

Suni sat at the small table in the centre of the UPP ship, her hands folded on her lap. She had banished all thoughts in her mind except one – revenge. She forced a serious expression on her face and took a deep breath. She felt the Kaesar ship link with hers, a deep metallic boom echoing through the hull that reminded her of the explosions on the Starbase. Unconsciously, her eyes flicked to an empty corner of the room, and quickly back to her folded hands.

_Suni!_ Xen's voice hissed in her head.

_I know, sorry, _Suni thought back, wincing.

Behind her, one of the two UPP pilots entered the room to inform her that the Kaesar delegate had arrived. Suni thanked him and rose to her feet as the pilot returned to the cockpit. Ahead of her, the door that often lead to the outside world opened and four Kaesar warriors stepped in.

The were exactly as Suni remembered them from the war. Grey scaly skin spotted with browns and blacks, elongated faces with tiny horns on the tops of their heads, and thick bony plates going down their backs. The four who burst in carried guns, aiming them at Suni. She faced the threat coldly.

"Please return your weapons to your ship," she ordered. "These are peaceful negotiations."

The leader leveled his weapon at Suni's chest. "The plan has changed, Suni Ianni. You will come with us."

Suni drew herself up straighter. "If I refuse?"

Two Kaesar moved quickly past her, into the cockpit of the ship. Suni remained frozen in place as she heard her escort cry out in confusion and be executed without warning. The remaining Kaesar smiled sinisterly and took her firmly by the arm, dragging her roughly to the waiting enemy vessel. Suni barely struggled, her mouth almost twisting into a grin although the deaths of the pilots had not been part of her plan. As the Kaesar pushed her into the ship, the leader removed a metal sphere from his belt, pushed a button, and tossed it onto the floor. Suni blinked in surprise, craning her neck to get a better view, and gasped.

"No!" she cried, then thought as hard as she could, _bomb!_

She was shoved fully into the alien ship and the door slid closed behind her, blocking her only escape.

"Admiral," helm reported, "the fighters are breaking formation."

Admiral Band stared at the screen as the three fighters moved rapidly away from the ambassador's ship. He saw the Kaesar vessels turn as well, heading to their mother ship. Before he could question anything, there was a blinding explosion as the ambassador's ship was destroyed.

"Suni!" Atreus and Tethys exclaimed at the same time.

"Order all fighters to target the fleeing Kaesar vessels," the Admiral ordered grimly.

As the UPP ships turned and opened fire, a crackly voice came over the comm. system.

"Admiral, please cease fire!" Alyna's voice rang out. "Suni is on one of those ships!"

Admiral Band looked as if he was ready to punch someone. He closed his eyes for a second to compose himself and took a deep breath. "Which vessel?"

"I am unsure," Alyna admitted. "I was stunned by the explosion and failed to notice which ship was docked."

"Are you injured?"

"No, sir. I will continue to monitor from space. At least Suni is not alone."

As the connection went dead, Harlan glanced over to Atreus and Tethys, who were staring wide eyed at the admiral. He raised an eyebrow at them. Atreus blushed, and Tethys averted her gaze to the ground, suddenly fascinated by her boots.

"I think you two have something important to tell me about our ambassador," Admiral Band said. "Something about her not being alone?"

Atreus' blush deepened as he dropped his gaze to the floor and muttered something about safety precautions. Admiral Band gestured with his finger for the guilt stricken cadets to follow him into his office.

Suni was shoved roughly through the dark corridors of the Kaesar ship, her hands bound behind her and the business end of a blaster wedged between her shoulder blades. She kept herself calm, her mind clear except for the bubbling feeling of anxiety and worry that she knew did not belong to her. Not only to her, anyway.

Metallic doors opened and she was brought into the Kaesar command post. Her guards moved her more quickly, but Suni managed to pick up a few words here and there with the smattering of the Kaesar language that Spek had taught her.

Another set of doors, and Suni was thrown to her knees in front of a massive throne-like chair. The figure seated on the chair was masked in shadow, but Suni knew at once who it was.

"Master," she said coldly.

The figure chuckled. "It is not too difficult to call me your master after all, now is it?"

"I can think of a few other things to call you," Suni spat.

The Master leaned forward so he was still cloaked in darkness, but Suni felt that he was only inches from her face. He tented his fingers in front of where his chin should be. Suni struggled to her feet, and her guards allowed her this small comfort.

"What do you want?" Suni demanded. "Why did you come back? This isn't your ancestral home."

"No," the Master replied. "These worlds are so much better. My predecessor Jesek was a fool. He should have eliminated your UPP when he had the chance.

"The ancestral lands," he continued, "are barren rock, Suni Ianni. Completely lifeless and completely pointless to conquer. The SOL system, however, is rich and would make the perfect addition to the Kaesar empire."

"Why not talk to the UPP? Ask for land for your people? Why fight us when you can join us," Suni suggested.

The Master laughed. "We would not be ruled by anyone as weak as the UPP. The Kaesar bow to no one. The force you faced before fail, but we learned much about you, Suni Ianni, and your kind. We studied and learned, and you were all too eager to teach us."

Suni squinted into the darkness, fear and dread pouring into her heart. The more he spoke, the more familiar he seemed to her, not just his voice but his mannerisms and the slight accent he put on her name. She swallowed hard and tried without success to hide the surprise from her face.

"Spek?" she said, her voice barely a whisper.

The Master leaned into the light, and his face brought sudden tears to Suni's eyes. Her friend, the Kaesar who hated war and fighting but who had been forced to enlist, who had saved her life and who had helped the UPP defeat the first invasion, who had asked for sanctuary and then disappeared. Suni forced those feelings aside as quickly as they came.

"You got bigger," she remarked, "and uglier."

"I was at the end of my maturation cycle when I left you, Suni Ianni. Kaesar do not age gradually as you do. I was forced to leave before you discovered this."

"So you're all grown up and dropped by to repay my kindness with murder?"

Spek shrugged. "It would have been simpler if you had stayed at school and kept your nose out of this. I could have killed you quickly and painlessly, without having to torture your loved ones first."

He held out his hand and a blaster sailed into it, taken from the hand of a nearby soldier. The Master pointed the weapon at the bound girl in front of him, and pulled the trigger.

Admiral Band massaged his temples with both hands, doing his best to stop his imminent headache. Across from him sat Atreus and Tethys, their backs straight, shoulders back, and hands folded in their laps, like model cadets. Harlan sighed deeply and straightened, his dark eyes darting from one student to the other.

"Let me get this straight," he said, breaking the tense silence that had hung over the room. "Suni decided to go to the Kaesar ship and kill the Master, and you two let her?"

"Xen is with her," Atreus mumbled.

"Alyna gave him a cloaking device so no one can see him," Tethys added helpfully.

"So Suni and Xen are on the enemy mother ship, trying to kill the Master, while every ship in the UPP fleet is trying to blow up the mother ship," the Admiral stared at them, especially since this plan sounded like the type of scheme he would have pulled years ago.

"Okay," Harlan sighed as the two cadets remained silent. "Assuming Suni and Xen do kill the Master, and aren't immediately shot by one of the hundreds of Kaesar on that ship, how will they escape?"

"Dimensional teleport," Tethys replied, her tone implying that only an idiot would go on an enemy ship without a way out.

"And if they don't succeed?"

Atreus swallowed hard. "Then they are dead, sir."

Admiral Band nodded. "The five of you will be punished for disobedience after the war. If Suni and Xen return, you may get medals to wear while cleaning every inch of Starcademy, and you're lucky to get off this easy in light of your past service. Dismissed."

Tethys and Atreus rose, saluted, and quickly left the Admiral's office. When they were gone, a smile played across Harlan's lips and he allowed himself a soft chuckled. Now he knew exactly what Commander Goddard had felt whenever he, Radu, and Cat had come up with a crazy plan. With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, Harlan left his office to resume command of the war.

"I thought we'd get thrown in the brig for sure!" Atreus said as they hurried through the corridors of the _Goddard_.

Tethys laughed, tucking a strand of her shortened hair behind her ear. "After cleaning the school for a few weeks, you might wish he had chosen the brig."

They rounded a corner and stepped into the lift. In a few minutes, the two cadets were walking onto the flight deck, saluting to the lieutenant in charge. He was a brawny Earther, wearing a bright orange jumpsuit and carrying a compupad. As Atreus and Tethys stood locked in their salute, he tapped a few keys on his pad and gestured for them to stand at ease.

"We don't often put cadets in the air during a fight," the lieutenant explained, "but those Kaesar bastards have shot down too many good pilots."

"We can manage, sir," Tethys said.

The lieutenant nodded. "I hope you can, missy. I'm running out of pilots." He consulted his compupad. "You'll fly together for now. Cadet Tethys piloting and Cadet Atreus on guns. We'll see about giving you each your own fighters if you both come back in one piece."

They saluted and left the flight deck, after being told to report back in a few hours. As they walked in silence, Atreus took Tethys' hand into his and squeezed it reassuringly. The Neptunian looked at his smiling face and tried to convince herself that they would all come through this war alive. She had a gut feeling that this might be the last time she would see Atreus smile.

Suni squeezed her eyes closed, wondering what it would feel like to die. She had seen death many times in her life, in all shapes and sizes, but when faced with your own death, nothing else mattered. She wondered what would happen once she was gone. Would the UPP win the war? Would they miss her, when she was gone? She pictured her friends and family standing around her grave. Tethys was crying, and Atreus was putting on a brave face. Xen's wings were drooping, and Alyna watched impassively as always. She pictured her Uncle Harlan, Aunt Catalina and Aunt Suzee, Uncle Radu and Aunt Elmira, all standing around saying how it was a shame for her to die so young. Her parents weren't there at all.

Her eyes closed tighter and it seemed like an eternity had passed since the Mater had pulled the trigger, but she felt nothing. There was no way he could have missed – she was standing directly in front of him with her hands tied behind her back. She thought about opening her eyes and facing her death head on, but instead she kept them tightly shut. She heard the blaster go off, and a nearly inaudible grunt of pain that did not come from her.

Her eyes opened and time resumed its natural speed. The Master – Spek – sat before her, a satisfied expression on his serpentine face. He held the blaster in his hand, still pointed at Suni, only now there was something standing between them, blocking his shot.

"Xen!" Suni exclaimed, awkwardly trying to catch her friend as he toppled over.

The two fell to the ground, Suni on her knees and Xen lying in her lap. Suni wrenched her shoulders trying to free her hands so she could hold her friend, but they remained firmly fastened.

"The spy makes his appearance at last," the Master said, placing his weapon on the arm of his chair.

"Xen," Suni whispered, leaning closer to her friend, her eyes involuntarily darting to the spot where he had been hit. "Xen, escape! Open a tear and get out of here!"

"Not… without… you," the Vyrillian said weakly, his deep gray eyes filled with pain.

He held up a shaking hand, moving to caress Suni's cheek, but his strength gave out before he reached her face. Some of the colour drained from his silvery skin, and his head lolled to one side as he lost consciousness. Tears poured down Suni's face, tears she had thought had dried up after the loss of her parents. Xen lay slumped in her lap and she couldn't even reach out and hold him as his life drained away.

"Is he dead?" the Master asked in a bored voice.

Suni raised her head, her eyes full of malice. "Don't you dare touch him."

The Master waved a hand at the two guards who had brought Suni into the room. "If he's dead, throw him out the airlock. If not, lock him up with Suni Ianni until he dies. I don't want him to disappear to another dimension and come back with friends."

The guard roughly grabbed Suni by the arm and pulled her to her feet. Xen fell from her lap to the floor, and another guard slung him over his shoulder. They were taken from the Master's room, while he sat smiling at the misery he had caused.

_The next time I see you_, Suni swore to herself, _I'll kill you_.

Tethys rolled the ship, narrowing missing the laser fire that shot past her wing. Behind her, she heard Atreus curse and fire at the Kaesar fighter that was tailing them. Not for the first time since entering the war, Tethys wished she had Suni's flying ability. Her heart was in her throat at she maneuvered the ship around, doing her best to keep them all alive.

"Steady," Atreus muttered, aiming his weapon at the tailgater. "Steady."

Another blast rocketed by their ship. "Easy for you to say," Tethys grumbled.

Atreus fired, the enemy ship dissolving in an explosion of debris. Smiling grimly, the Andromedan turned around in his chair, scanning for other vessels.

"I heard that, by the way," Atreus remarked as he lined another ship in his sights.

Tethys rolled her eyes, certain that her friend could not hear that, and noticed three Kaesar ships breaking free of the dogfight to fly off in an opposite direction. Curious, she reported the event to her squadron leader and veered off to follow. The three ships moved quickly away from the battle, ducking in and out of a cluster of asteroids and suddenly opening fire. As Tethys maneuvered her ship around a final rock, she saw the Kaesar's target. A lone UPP escape pod floated in space, protected by a single purple haired Guardian.

Alyna did her best to deflect the laser fire from the pod and herself, but a lone Guardian was no match for three Kaesar fighters. Atreus inhaled sharply as he took in the scene and Tethys nudged her ship closer to the action. Without warning, Atreus fired on the closest ship, destroying one of its wings. It and one other ship turned their attention on the newcomer, leaving Alyna with only one fighter to worry about. Tethys had no choice but to withdraw as the two ships followed her.

"Careful," Atreus hissed as Tethys flew a little too close to an asteroid.

"Do you want to drive?" the Neptunian snapped. "Be quiet!"

Atreus wisely decided to leave the piloting to his friend. Tethys flew the way she thought Suni would fly, grateful for the few tips Elmira had given her when they had disguised themselves as bounty hunters to track down Radu. Tethys veered and twisted, but could not shake the Kaesar. Even the damaged ship seemed to be having no problem keeping up.

"Go faster," Atreus urged.

"I can't," Tethys said. "I'll hit the rocks."

"Try to relax and sense how the ship is moving. That's how Suni described it, once. Don't think, just fly."

"Not thinking must come easier to Suni than to me," Tethys remarked.

Atreus laughed as he continued to fire on the enemy ships. He managed to destroy the one that was already missing a wing, but the second ship was in hot pursuit. Tethys pursed her lips together and closed her eyes momentarily. She tried to do as Atreus suggested and feel the ship, but she was too worried about crashing or dying or both. An asteroid suddenly loomed in front of her, and she veered effortlessly to the right, missing it completely. The Kaesar ship went left, and the two enemies were reunited on the other side.

"Better," Atreus commented, as if they were practicing outside Starcademy and not battling for their lives.

Suddenly the ship shook, throwing both cadets forward. Red lights flashed and a warning sound began to beep loudly. Tethys scrambled for control as Atreus finished off the last Kaesar fighter.

"Lucky shot," he remarked. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," Tethys answered. "Main power failing, the engine is just about gone, and once the lights go out, so does life support."

Atreus ran his hand through his hair. "Can we make it back to Alyna? Maybe she can fix something."

"Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Fix-It?" Tethys asked.

Atreus almost blushed. "Not when the damage is outside. I can't hold my breath that long. Hurry up, before we're completely stranded."

Tethys switched on the UPP frequency S.O.S and guided the ship back to where they had last seen Alyna, defending the escape pod. During the chase, it had felt to Tethys like they had been flying for hours trying to escape, but only minutes had passed and soon they were back where Atreus said they had started. The remains of the third Kaesar ship floated around the asteroid field, along with the remains of the escape pod. Tethys felt tears spring to her eyes as she searched for Alyna among the death and destruction.

They found her a few minutes later, floating lifelessly in space near the largest piece of the UPP escape pod. Tethys tried to signal to her, but Alyna did not move. She turned around to face Atreus, his sad expression mirroring her own.

"What do we do now?" she asked in a quiet voice. "We can't tow her back to the _Goddard_. We probably can't even make it back ourselves."

"We can't leave her there," Atreus continued, his eyes locked on the body of their friend. "Not after all she did to help us."

A yellow warning began to flicker on the fighter's screen, warning passengers that only three minutes of oxygen remained. Tethys reached over and took Atreus by the hand, squeezing it as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I can liquefy myself, hide in a canteen. You can carry me. I'll use up less oxygen that way," she suggested.

Atreus shook his head. "We're going to have to abandon ship, and the canteen isn't airtight. Put on your helmet, Tethys. We'll wait with Alyna for a UPP ship to find us."

As they prepared themselves to enter the coldness of space, neither of them spoke the worries that came into both their minds. What if it wasn't a UPP ship that found them? Or, worse still, what if no one found them at all?


	11. War Games

WAR GAMES

(to view this chapter with proper formatting, go to sat in the small cell on board the Kaesar mother ship, ignoring the two warriors who stood guard just outside the metal doors. She could hear them shuffling their feet and occasionally speaking, but that didn't matter to her. Her full attention was focused on Xen, who lay unconscious on the small bench in their cell. Suni looked carefully at his wound, her hand going reflexively to her own stomach, where she carried the scar from the bolt that had nearly killed her.

Xen was still breathing, his chest rising and falling as he gasped shallow gulps of air. He was also bleeding from the blaster bolt, the dark red blood betraying just how deep the injury was. Suni removed her Starcademy jacket and tore a strip from the bottom of her relatively clean t-shirt. She pressed it firmly on the wound, not liking one bit how ineffectively it stopped the blood.

Suni sighed and stood, staring helplessly at her dying friend. There was nothing more she could do for him until they escaped, and there was no chance for escape if she didn't bust out of this cell. She would have to leave him behind for now. She didn't want to cause more damage by moving him, and if she couldn't return for him he would probably be better off dead anyway. She knew in her heart that if she didn't come back, it would be because the Master had won.

"Xen," she whispered, leaning close to his ear. "I have to go. If you wake up and I'm not here, teleport away from this place. Go back to Vyrill and don't think about this dimension again."

Her friend made no movement, not a sound to indicate that he had heard. Suni hardened her heart, unwilling to cry anymore, and began to search the cell for an escape.

Atreus and Tethys floated among the wreckage of the escape pod, the Kaesar ship, and their own recently destroyed fighter. Atreus had quickly inspected the damage and shook his head when he saw it was beyond fixing. They had abandoned their ship and moved as quickly as they could away from it, Atreus pushing the fighter in the opposite direction. It spun slowly away until it struck an asteroid and exploded. Now, utterly alone, they huddled together with the body of Alyna and prayed someone would find them.

Tethys found her mind wandering to her childhood, especially the time she had first met Suni and Atreus. They were all very young, at a time before Tethys fully understood about other planets and people, and her mother had invited some old friends to celebrate the anniversary of her coronation. There was a huge banquet, and young Tethys was told to be on her best behaviour. She stood next to her mother, wearing her favourite red dress as the transport doors opened and several strange people came out.

Queen Clito embraced a pink woman and a tanned man with black hair and antennae. Behind them stood a pink girl about Tethys' age, holding a large bag and looking angry. Tethys drew herself up tall and stepped forward to greet the girl, remembering what her mother had said about best behaviour. She expected the girl to bow, like everyone did, but she just stood there and stared.

"I am Princess Tethys," Tethys said haughtily. "Welcome to Neptune."

The pink girl raised an eyebrow. "A princess? Really?"

The girl turned her back to Tethys and pulled on her mother's hand. Tethys fumed angrily at the outrage. The girl hadn't bowed or introduced herself or anything!

"Mom, you never said Clito was a queen!"

Tethys' eyes widened even more. How dare this girl address her mother by her first name? And how could she possibly not know the queen of Neptune? Tethys promised to herself to hate this pink girl.

With a little shove from her mother, the pink girl was once again in front of Tethys. "I'm Suni. Suni Ianni. That's my mom and my dad. They were friends with your mom a long time ago. Want to go play?"

"I do not play," Tethys said. "I have important things to do. I'm a princess."

"You already said that," Suni giggled. "Okay, Miss Princess, show me the important things you have to do. Maybe I can help."

Tethys was trying to figure out what to say to this strange pink person, when another transport opened up behind her and three tall people with long curly hair stepped out. Suni's eyes went past Tethys to the newcomers and her face lit up with happiness.

"Atreus!" Suni exclaimed, pushing her way past Tethys.

The little princess turned and saw Suni embrace the youngest of the new people, a boy with curly black hair and strange ears. Suni grabbed him by the hand and dragged him over to where Tethys stood.

"Atreus, this is Tethys," Suni introduced. She leaned closer to Atreus to whisper, "she's a real princess!"

"I heard you call her that," Atreus replied with a smile. "I'm Atreus, from New Andromeda."

Tethys stared at him in surprise. "How did you hear from all the way over there?"

He pulled at his ear. "I have great hearing, and I'm really strong, but Mom says I'm not allowed to show off and I have to wear these gloves so I don't crush things."

Queen Clito put her hand on Tethys' shoulder. "Why don't you show your new friends your rooms, sweetie? Your father and I have a lot to talk about with the adults."

"Rooms?" Suni squeaked. "More than one? Wow! Being a princess sound neat!"

Tethys had to smile. "Follow me! After we can go for a swim through the city!"

Both Atreus and Suni paled. "Swim?"

"Can't you swim?" Tethys asked, as if she were asking if they could walk.

The two kids shook their heads. Tethys laughed and took each of them by the hand, forgetting princess-protocol, being on her best behaviour, and her silent vow to hate Suni. She had never had friends who didn't try to impress her, or who didn't have some ulterior motive to get to know her. Until Suni had started talking to her like a person and not a princess, she hadn't realized how lonely she had been.

In the darkness of space, the teenaged Tethys sighed as she remembered that feeling of acceptance, not for what she was but who she was. She looked down at the cord that joined her to Atreus, so neither of them would be separated in space, and hoped that this would not be her last memory.

Suni crawled through the ventilation shaft, dragging herself forward with her arms as she lay nearly flat on the metal surface. The area was barely large enough for her to fit, and she was certain that the guards had heard her scrambling through the grate beneath the bench in her cell. She had left Xen sleeping, and she could only hope that the Master wouldn't kill him before she got back.

She ploughed bravely forward, trying to ignore the fact that she was completely alone. No one was going to pop out of nowhere and save her this time. Tethys and Atreus were all safely on the _Goddard_ with Uncle Harlan, Alyna was flying around the wreckage of the Starbase in search of survivors, and Xen…

The shy Vyrillian boy had been her Plan B, her way out, but everything had changed. The Master had made sure of that. Without her, he would die, they all would die, and the Master would do his best to destroy the UPP. She had to continue. She was their only hope.

She wished for Atreus' sense of direction as she made her way towards a narrow beam of light. Suni had no idea how long she had been crawling or where she would end up when she left the ventilation shaft. She could only hope that her luck would hold out and she would be undetected and near the Master. She thought of all the things she would say to him, the Kaesar who had taken advantage of her friendship and had murdered her family. She wanted to make him feel the same pain she did, the empty hollowness that was slowly consuming her. She wanted him to lose that smug, triumphant expression as his carefully laid plans crashed before his eyes. She wanted him to hurt.

Carefully, Suni listened at the grate for signs of movement, wishing not only for Atreus' sense of direction, but his hearing as well. She missed him when he wasn't with her, Tethys too. The three of them were like extensions of each other, able to function on their own but unbeatable when put together. Suni wanted them with her, but was glad they were safe in UPP space, far from the Kaesar. When she was certain the corridor was empty, Suni carefully eased open the grate and slithered outside, rising into a crouch and looking down the hall. Electricity sparked on her fingertips, ready to knock down anyone who tried to stop her, but the area was empty. Rising to her feet, Suni set off down the hall towards what she hoped was the command post.

When Atreus was one year old, his parents bundled him into a transport and brought him away from New Andromeda, to a spinning Starbase not too far from their planet. Atreus barely remembered the trip, sitting next to his mother and playing with her long hair. His own dark hair was shoulder length, and he resembled to all the other passengers like a five-year old child. His father tousled his hair and told him in a quiet voice that they were going to visit an old friend.

On the Starbase, Atreus found the entire place to be very loud. His parents had taught him how to filter out sounds, but he was not very good at it yet. He bit his lip as he tried to sort through the voices, his eyes tearing as he longed to go back home. His parents barely noticed as they hurried him into an apartment and closed him into a small room. Outside the door, he could hear his mother talking to another woman, he could hear the people in the market selling things, the loud clanking of the machinery, and the hum of the transports in the docking bay. He sat on the ground and cried.

"Hey," a voice said close to his ear. "What's wrong?"

Atreus opened his blue eyes and stared into a pink face. The girl looked about his age, her eyes full of concern and curiosity. Atreus shook his head and gulped for air.

"It's loud," he said. "I don't like it here. I wanna go home!"

The pink girl cocked her head to one side as she thought, then her expression suddenly brightened. She ran to the other side of the room on her small legs and pulled two pillows off her bed. Toddling back, she held them out to Atreus with a broad grin on her face. He took them from her, puzzled.

"For your ears, silly," she said, pointing to her own ears.

Atreus hesitantly clamped the pillows to the side of his head. Instantly, the noise was muffled. He grinned at the clever pink girl and sniffed, blinking the tears away. The girl ran off again, returning this time with a tissue and a large hat.

"Here," she said, ramming the hat on his head. "Now you can use your arms again."

The boy took the tissue and blew his nose, still regarding the pink girl in amazement. He had never seen anyone who was not like him or his parents. Why was this girl pink? Where was her hair? Why didn't she have the same ears as him?

"I'm Suni," the child said. "Wanna play with me?"

The boy nodded, careful not to knock off his hat. "I'm Atreus."

The girl grinned. "Want to see something neat?"

As Atreus stared, Suni held up one finger and screwed her face in concentration. A small spark erupted from her finger and she relaxed, smiling.

"Did you see that?" she asked. "Can you do anything? Mama says that everyone in the universe has a special talent. She can cook stuff without using the stove!"

Atreus thought about it. "I can't do anything special."

Suni's face fell. "Oh. Well, you can hear stuff, right? Before you said it was loud in here but it isn't loud in here so you must be able to hear real good, right?"

The Andromedan boy brightened. "Yeah. I guess I can hear good."

Suni nodded. "Okay, let's play now. Follow me!"

Atreus blinked his eyes open, looking around. He was floating in space, surrounded by debris. He couldn't hear anything except the sound of his breathing and heart. Glancing around, he saw Tethys floating not too far away, joined to him by a seeming thin cord. She was holding Alyna's hand and staring at the Guardian worriedly. Atreus used the cord to pull himself to them – or them to him.

"I can't tell if she's dead," Tethys said through the intercom system in their helmets.

"Don't talk, it uses oxygen," Atreus warned.

He could see Tethys rolling her eyes through the glass. "Does it matter? Ten minutes left and we're dead anyway. Why not make it eight minutes?"

"Someone might find us in those two extra minutes," Atreus replied.

The Neptunian said nothing, looking back to Alyna. The Guardian remained as she had been, eyes closed, floating on her back. Her cloak was torn and singed from the laser fire of the Kaesar ships. Atreus closed his eyes and sighed, wondering how they were going to escape from this predicament. It seemed hopeless, that they were going to die alone in space before anyone missed them.

Admiral Band winced as another explosion pushed the _Goddard_ and another brave pilot lost their life. He closed his eyes for a moment to compose himself before turning back to the figure on the screen. An Earther, wearing an orange flight suit, was biting his lip nervously as the Admiral stared him down.

"One more time please, lieutenant," Harlan said.

"We've lost them, sir. They broke formation, going after a rogue Kaesar fighter, and vanished."

"And their tracking beacon?" the Admiral said with exaggerated patience.

"The radiation from the nearby planet is screwing around with our sensors, sir. We can't confirm anything in the asteroid field."

Harlan nodded slowly. He wondered how he was going to explain to the Governor of New Andromeda and the Queen of Neptune that their children were gone. First Suni and Xen, now Atreus and Tethys. The children of his friends were dropping like flies, and he was the cause. What was he thinking, letting cadets fly in battle, even accomplished cadets like Atreus and Tethys?

"Thank you, lieutenant," Admiral Band said, disconnecting the signal.

As the lieutenant's face disappeared, Harlan sat down heavily on his chair. He momentarily rested his forehead on his hand, trying to puzzle out exactly when everything had gone so wrong. Yensid was shut down with Catalina once more trapped in the strange dimension; the Neptunians were already angry at him for not sending their princess home, he could only imagine how much worse her death would make things; the Andromedans were so committed to peace that Arista could not get them to raise a finger; the Guardians were gone, except one who had disappeared with her friends; the Starbases were destroyed, along with thousands of lives. Harlan could not recall a time where he had felt more alone.

"Sir," one of his officers said. "Incoming communications."

"Show me," Harlan ordered, sitting up straight in his chair.

The view screen flashed to life, and a familiar face grinned down at Harlan. The Admiral smiled at the scarred face, one he had lost but who had been found. He almost laughed as the face began to speak.

"Admiral Band," Warlord Radu said, "the Spung have come with four killcruisers to offer you assistance."

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you," Harlan said honestly.

Radu nearly blushed. "I'll come over as soon as we're within range, and we can coordinated from the _Goddard_."

"Thanks. See you soon."

As the image of Radu disappeared, Harlan once again began to think how to break the news of his nephew's death to Radu. He sank down in his chair as the view screen once again displayed the battle, and hoped the tides would soon turn.

Tethys sighed, the sound echoing through the speakers in Atreus' helmet. She twisted around inside her suit as if trying to see space from every possible angle. Atreus watched, annoyed that she was spending so much energy and oxygen frivolously, but amused that in light of their deaths, she was bored. He glanced at the chronometer on his wrist. Less than four minutes to go.

"Hey, Tethys," he said, breaking the silence.

She stopped squirming and looked at him. He could see the perspiration already starting for form on his face, and he could feel his own sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

"I … uh …," Atreus began, awkward even now. "Before we … you know, I wanted to tell you how great a friend you've been."

Tethys smiled at him. "You've been a great friend, too. I'm sorry we ended up like this."

"It wasn't your fault," Atreus assured her.

Tethys lowered her eyes. "Do you think Suni is okay?"

"I'm sure she is," Atreus replied. Three minutes left. "She's probably back already with Xen, wondering where the hell we are."

"I always thought we'd grow old together," Tethys muttered. She laughed a little. "Or at least die together from one of Suni's crazy schemes."

Atreus smiled and swallowed the tears that were threatening to form. It was getting more and more difficult to breath, and his vision was starting to swim. For a moment, he thought he saw two Tethys' floating in space.

_You still have the chance to grow old together_, a voice spoke in their minds, _or at least Suni will have another chance to kill you both._

Atreus blinked rapidly, aware that he was not seeing double, but that Alyna was floating just behind Tethys with a smile on her lips. Tethys turned in her suit and Atreus heard her gasp. The Guardian looked very tired as she grinned at them, and her right arm held her left as if it pained her.

"Alyna!" Atreus exclaimed.

"We thought you were dead!" Tethys added.

_Save your oxygen_, Alyna reminded them sternly. She took Tethys by the arm and guided her over to Atreus so they could clasp hands. _We will speak later about why the two of you were floating alone in space._

She teleported away from the wreckage, back to the last know location of the UPP flagship. As they reappeared, Tethys saw Alyna close her eyes and grimace in pain before they made their final jump, and landed inside the _Goddard_'s medlab. A startled lab technician dropped the tray of tools he had been carrying as the trio suddenly materialized before him, and Atreus and Tethys peeled off their helmets and gasped for air. Alyna sat on the floor, leaning against the wall with her tail stretched out before her. The technician stared in amazement until she fixed her golden eyes on him.

_Alert a doctor_, she said in his mind. _These two require oxygen. Alert Admiral Band that we have returned._

The technician scooted off, without pausing to pick up the tray he had dropped. In seconds, the room was buzzing with activity as several nurses and doctors burst into the room.

"Alyna?" Tethys wheezed, looking over at her friend in concern as a nurse helped her sit up.

Alyna smiled slightly and closed her eyes, her tail twitching periodically. Tethys tried to move towards her, but fell forward into the arms of the nurse who fixed an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. She inhaled deeply, her eyes dropping shut as several people crowded around Alyna, blocking her from view.

Suni leaned against the metallic wall, a blaster stolen from an arms locker held tightly in her hand. So far, she had been able to move unseen through the Kaesar mother ship, but she knew her luck wouldn't last forever. She needed to find her way to the Master fast, before the war went any further and more lives were needlessly lost. Taking a deep breath, she carefully moved down the hallway.

The sound of rapid footsteps caused her to scramble for a hiding spot and wish she had not lost the invisibility device Alyna had given Xen. She ducked into an empty room, pressed her back against the wall, and held her blaster ready as the footsteps drew closer.

"They're gone!" a Kaesar exclaimed in their strange, hissing language.

"What are you talking about?" another said grumpily.

"The cell is empty – they're gone!"

The second Kaesar swore loudly, although Suni didn't understand the exact word he spoke. She had grown up among enough different languages to know a curse word when she heard one.

"Better report it," the swearing guard said.

"Who? Me? Are you crazy?" the first guard replied. "The Master will skin me alive."

Suni heard the sound of a blaster charging up. It only lasted a second, but in that second, Suni was convinced she had been discovered. She swallowed her nervousness and closed her eyes, waiting.

"Okay, okay," the first guard said. "No need to point that thing at me. I'll go to the command post now."

The second guard grunted something and Suni heard footsteps walking away. She hesitated a little longer, and was rewarded with a long sigh.

"The Master will have my hide," the luckless guard was saying to himself.

As he walked down the hall, dragging his heels, Suni slipped out of her hiding spot and followed him. She couldn't help but grin to herself. She had a guide to take her all the way to the Master, and he didn't even know it.

Tethys woke, feeling very dehydrated. A Neptunian with low water levels would evaporate into nothingness, so Tethys sat up in alarm and glance around for the closest liquid. She blinked in surprised as she slowly realized where she was. She sat by herself on a soft bed in a small room. There were no windows, but several small machines were pumping moist air into the room, giving the room the feel of a jungle, although without the heat. A large jar of water sat next to her, and she placed her hand in the cool fluid before liquefying herself and completely submerging her form in the jar.

When she emerged, she felt much better. Rising from the bed, she slipped a housecoat over her white hospital gown and exited the room. The hall of the ship was strangely empty, which alarmed Tethys. She thought perhaps the ship was under direct attack by the Kaesar mother ship, or that they had retreated in defeat and all hands were to remain at their battle stations. Taking a few steps down the hall, she ducked into the room beside hers, hoping to find some answers.

The room was identical to the one she had just left, although without the comfortable humid atmosphere. Atreus was sitting in the bed, reading a compupad. He looked up as she entered, completely unsurprised by her visit, and smiled.

"Hi," he said.

Tethys walked further into the room and sat on the small chair next to him. "So, I take it we're alive?"

Atreus grinned. "Yeah, Alyna saved us. Uncle Harlan and Uncle Radu have already been down to see me. We're in serious trouble, just so you know."

"Uncle Radu?"

"He's here with part of the Spung fleet. Seems they're the only race allied to the UPP who came to help."

Tethys blinked. "Not even the Neptunians?"

"Uncle Harlan said the Neptunians demanded you be returned to them. Seems they're still a little uneasy after the almost-rebellion that Nylph started."

"And the Andromedans?"

Atreus shook his head. "Mom tried, but they're still uneasy around the Spung, and vice versa after what almost happened at Uncle Radu's wedding. Yensid is completely shut down, so no help there. We're on our own."

Tethys shook her head sadly. The Master had had his hands in all those situations. He had been trying to weaken the UPP before the Kaesar invasion, but they had stopped him at every turn. Still, the Master's plan had done its damage, and it seemed as if he had won that battle after all.

"United we stand, divided we fall," Tethys muttered softly.

"Exactly," Atreus replied. He sighed and leaned back in his pillows. "This war is over for us, too. We're lucky we're still cadets, or we would have been discharged from the UPP. The Admiral is shouldering the blame for having cadets in space."

Tethys felt awful. She hadn't realized the consequences of their actions, flying off after Alyna and the last escape pod from the Starbase. They should have stayed on the battle field, not gone off on a whim. Still, if they hadn't followed, Alyna would be dead. Tethys raised her head.

"Alyna? Where is she?" she asked.

Atreus' expression turned sorrowful as he pointed to the small window in his room, the one feature that marked it as different from the room Tethys had woken up in. The Neptunian hesitated a moment before rising to her feet and slowly walking to the window. Outside was the blackness of space, although the lights on the side of the _Goddard_ illuminated part of it. There were a few people dressed in space suits outside, joined to the hull by a thick, strong cord as they floated in the nothingness. They all appeared to be heading to a common location, and Tethys allowed her gaze to wander in that direction. She gasped.

"Alyna!"

The Guardian lay in a force field bubble, unconscious. She looked as she had when they had found her, her tail hanging limply and her arms by her side. The different was that the space suit clad people were bustling around her, bandaging her wounds and trying to check her vital signs. For a creature who does not breath or have a pulse, this was quite difficult.

"Is she okay?" Tethys asked, turning back to Atreus.

The Andromedan shook his head. "She brought us here and collapsed. Fortunately, the medic in charge had enough sense to put her back in space. They wrapped a force field around her to keep her from drifting off or being struck by stray laser fire. I guess we won't know how she is until she wakes up."

Tethys sat back down at her friend's side. "I guess it's all up to Suni and Xen now."

Suni waited outside the doors leading to the command post, doing her best to remain unseen. She thought about what she was going to say when she was face to face with Spek again – no, she corrected herself, not Spek. The Master. He was no longer the Kaesar she had befriended long ago. She had one burning question that she needed to have answered before she killed him, and she decided to let him live long enough to answer it.

Taking a deep breath, Suni raised her blaster and prepared to fight her way across the command post, to the private office where she had been brought earlier. She remembered the room being full of Kaesar, so she steeled her nerves and readied her weapon as she burst through the doors.

The command post was empty. A large view screen displayed the continuing battle in space between the Kaesar and UPP fighters, but not a single Kaesar soldier was at their stations. Suni crept forward cautiously, keeping her guard up and she made he was through the room. Monitors flashed and beeped, and she heard the frantic reports from the fighters, although she could not decipher them through the static. Without opposition, Suni made it to the door and waited as it slid open.

"Come in, Suni," the voice of the Master hissed.

Suni stepped inside, the door sliding shut behind her. Seated on his throne at the far end of the room was the Master. There was no one else in the room except him, not even any guards. Suni leveled her blaster at him, her finger on the trigger.

"Is that any way for old friends to behave?" the Master asked.

The gun was suddenly pulled from her hand, clattering to the floor near the Master's feet. Suni gasped in surprise, suddenly remembering Spek's telekinetic abilities, and scolded herself for not recalling them sooner. The Master chuckled, and motioned for her to come closer. Suni did so, reluctantly.

"I always respected you, Suni," the Master said. "Because of that, I've allowed you to die by my hand. A great honour, to be killed by the Master of the universe."

Suni raised an eyebrow. "Master of the universe? I hardly think that the SOL system counts as the entire universe, and you haven't won yet."

"But I will," the Master hissed. "Once you are dead, all of those who stood against me will be gone. No more of your tricks to stop me."

"Everyone who stood against you?" Suni repeated dumbly. "I'm the last one?"

The Master made a hissing sound that could have been a laugh. "I shot your friend in front of your eyes. One of my fighters blew up the ship carrying the Andromedan and the Neptunian princess, and your Guardian fell prey to one of my bombs. You're all alone."

Suni felt tears stinging her eyes, but before she could allow them to fall, her heart hardened once more against what she had to do. She kept her mind clear, allowing her anger to flow through her as the Master chuckled on his throne. She would need the element of surprise if her plan was going to work.

"Even if I am alone," Suni told him, "the UPP won't fall because you killed one cadet, or even five cadets. If you kill me, your war won't be won."

The Master held out his hand facing Suni, fingers outstretched. He curled them into his palm as if he were gripping something tightly, and Suni was suddenly unable to breath. Her hand went instinctively to her throat, trying to knock aside the unseen hand that was strangling her.

"Let the war continue," the Master said calmly. "At least you'll be dead."

Suni began to see spots floating in front of her eyes as she struggled to breath. Her eyes moved wildly around the room, when she saw the blaster by the Master's feet rise into the air. She was certain he was controlling the weapon again, that he would shoot her as she gasped for air, but instead the blaster turned to the Master and fired.

The Master screamed in pain as the shot got him in the chest, and he rose to his feet in anger. Suni fell to the ground, the constriction around her throat gone, and inhaled the sweetest air she had ever breathed. Rising once more to her feet, she saw the Master was no longer concerned with her as he approached the floating blaster. He grabbed the gun and pulled, and Xen came flying out of a dimensional tear that closed right behind him. The Vyrillian was flung across the room, striking the far wall and falling to the ground. Suni ran to his side, noticing that the wound in his stomach was still bleeding.

"Xen!" she exclaimed.

"Look out!" he replied, pushing her roughly to one side.

The Master was firing the blaster, Xen sat up as best he could and raised his hands. Small portals materialized in front of each blaster bolt, sending them harmlessly into space. The Master howled in rage and lurched towards them, shooting wildly.

"Attention, attention," a Kaesar voice interrupted them suddenly. "The ship will self destruct in 60 seconds."

The Master stopped firing for a moment, looking confused. Xen turned to Suni and winked, holding a piece of circuitry in his hand. Even after failing basic shuttle repair, Suni recognized an emergency self-destruct panel when she saw one. She smiled at Xen and squeezed his hand, standing once more before the frustrated Master. He tossed his weapon aside, and stood grinning in front of the Starcademy cadet.

"Even if I die," he reminded her, "nothing you have lost will be returned."

"But I will avenge what you have taken from me! This is for my parents," Suni said, electrical sparks dancing on her finger tips.

She released a lightning storm of electrical energy at the Master, causing him to cry out in pain and fall to the ground. Suni walked over to him.

"This is for my friends," she continued, firing another blast at him. The Master writhed on the floor, saliva bubbling around the corners of his reptilian mouth and fresh blood pouring from the wound in his chest.

"And this," she said finally, "is for me."

She hesitated, and the Master stared up at her with hurt filled eyes. Sun bit her lip as she thought once more about taking a life, no matter how despicable the person was. She lowered her hands slightly.

"Tell me one thing," she said, the question burning in her mind. "Was it all a trick, from the very beginning? When I first met you on the Spung Homeworld all those years ago, were you ever truly my friend?"

The Master's eyes hardened and he began to laugh. "Stupid girl. Do you miss your poor friend Spek? When I first saw you, I used you to get to the Empress. Only later did I realize your true potential. Without you, Suni Ianni, none of this would have been possible."

Suni felt her heart turn to stone at those words. Had she not befriended Spek, had she just left him on the Spung Homeworld, had she not brought him to the palace…

"This is for me," she repeated.

The Master laughed as Suni killed him, the hissing sound merging with the crackle of the electricity that surrounded his body. Suni focused her energy more intensely than she ever had before, and only stopped when she saw smoke rising from the Master's still body.

"Attention, attention. The ship will self destruct in 10 seconds."

Suni turned around quickly. "Xen! We have to get out of here!"

She ran to where her friend lay slumped against the wall. His eyes were closed and the circuitry he had stolen lay against a limp hand. Suni crouched next to him, shaking his shoulder until he weakly opened his eyes.

"Suni, go," he whispered.

"Not without you," Suni replied, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Xen's lips curled into a smile, the effort causing him to close his eyes again. Suni could see fresh blood on the wall behind him, where his head had struck when the Master had thrown him. Suni shook her head, as if that action could stop the inevitable.

"No," she breathed. "No, no, no! Xen, no! You can't die!"

"Okay," Xen managed to say. "If you say so."

He raised his hand, sweat beading on his forehead, and flicked his wrist. A small portal materialized next to Suni, just large enough for her to crawl through. Suni stared at it, then back to her friend.

"I'm not leaving you," she said firmly.

"Go," Xen gave her a little shove. "Tell my mother I love her. And thank you for your friendship."

Suni backed up into the portal, her eyes locked on Xen's face. He kept his eyes on her as well, tears forming shallow rivers down his face. He lowered his hand and his eyes closed for the last time, his head falling to his chest. Suni screamed as the portal began to close and fire erupted in the exploding ship. As the last doorway to the Kaesar mother ship faded, Suni could see the body of her friend being licked by flames, and she cried out in rage.

Admiral Harlan Band watched in undisguised horror as the Kaesar mother ship exploded before his eyes. Next to him, Radu put his hand on his friend's shoulder and gripped it tightly. Tethys choked back a sob and buried her face in Atreus' shoulder, as the dark haired Andromedan let the tears fall down his face. The command post of the _Goddard_ was silent. No one shouted to their victory, no one celebrated the end of the Kaesar war.

There was a sudden sound behind them, as if part of the explosion had made its way into the command post, but as quickly as it came, it was gone. Atreus and Tethys turned and were the first to spot the pink figure huddled on the ground behind the Admiral's chair. They hurried over to her, falling to their knees beside her, and taking her into their arms.

"Suni, you're okay," Atreus said gratefully.

Tethys said nothing, rocking the sobbing Suni back and forth. Harlan and Radu hurried over, Harlan shouting for a medical team to get to the command post right away. Suni kept herself curled tightly in the fetal position, clutching Tethys' clothing as if she would disappear.

"Where's Xen?" Atreus asked suddenly.

Suni paused to turn her eyes to her friend. Atreus was shocked at how sad they were, when they were normally so bright and cheerful. He wondered if they would ever be that way again, if Suni would ever be how she once was.

"He's dead," Suni whispered. "They're both dead. The Master killed Xen, and I – I – I"

She turned her head back into Tethys' shoulder. Harlan and Radu exchanged helpless glances as the medical team arrived and bundled the three cadets away. Alone once more on the bridge of his ship, Harlan gave the order for them to return home. The second Kaesar war was over.

Suni sat alone in a dark room, utterly unresponsive to anything around her. She ate only when someone fed her, drank when a glass was lifted to her lips, and slept when someone lay her down on her bed. She refused to speak, and wouldn't explain what had happened on the Kaesar mother ship to anyone. Atreus and Tethys took turns sitting with her, and sitting in the observation lounge watching Alyna floating lifelessly in space. No one spoke about Xen; the pain was still too fresh.

_"Why did you leave the Kaesar, Spek?"_

_"Fighting bad. I like peace. Spung are nice, too. I spoke with some on the ship. Nice peoples. You are not Spung, what are you?"_

_"Mercurian," Suni replied, "and Uranusian. My name is Suni Ianni."_

_"Nice to meet, Ianni," Spek said. "You take me somewhere safe?"_

_"Not now," Suni said. "First, I have to rescue the Empress from the palace, then we'll head to the UPP flagship. I think they'd like to talk with you."_

_Spek clapped his hands excitedly. "Spek held stop fighting? Bring peace?"_

_Suni nodded. "But first, we have to get to the palace."_

Suni squeezed her eyes shut, willing no more tears to fall. The Master was right. It had been all her fault. She had been completely fooled by Spek from the very beginning, his longest and best planned deception. She should have shot him when they had first met. If only she had left him there, Xen and her parents would still be alive…

She heard the door to her room slide open, but she continued to stare at her hands. A chair was pulled up next to her bed, and she knew one of her friends was coming to sit with her. She wished they wouldn't waste their time. She had brought war to the UPP and caused hundreds of thousands of people to die. She deserved to be imprisoned for life.

_Without you, Suni, none of this would have been possible._

"Suni?" Tethys said. "We're almost back to Earth. Uncle Harlan is going to let you stay with him for the time being. I have to go back to Neptune, and Atreus is going home to New Andromeda."

Suni was glad they were leaving her. Her friends only ended up dying.

"We'll come back and say good bye when the ship is in orbit. We… we would like it if you would say good bye to us, too. We miss you, Suni."

Suni missed them too, but this was for the best. Her parents, Xen, all the inhabitants of all the Starbases, killed so the Master could find her. She was the target all along. She should have turned herself in a long time ago.

Tethys stood and put her hand on Suni's. Suni saw the green skin on top of her own pink flesh, and another tear slid down her face.

"It wasn't your fault," Tethys told her. "None of it was. I don't know what happened, but I'm sure Xen did not regret any decision he made, and neither should you."

Suni waited until Tethys was almost at the door before she raised her head. The Neptunian princess still had her hair short, although it had grown in the short period of time that had passed. Suni clutched the blankets in her hands, squeezing them tightly.

"Without me, none of this would have happened," Suni whispered.

Tethys turned and was at her side again in an instant. "You're right, Suni."

The Mercurian-Uranusian stared at her friend in shock. Tethys took her hands again.

"Without you, Uncle Radu would have died before his wedding. Without you, Suzee would have stayed lost in time. Alyna would never have learned to love us planet-dwellers, and Atreus and I would have been killed by Nylph. Without you, all of Starcademy would have been enslaved by the Kaesar, and the Master would have skill blown up the Starbases."

Tethys released her friend's hands and stood. "Think about all the good you've done, Suni, instead of focusing on the bad. And remember, you still have people who love you."

Suni stared dumbfounded as Tethys walked out of the room.

THREE MONTHS LATER…

"Hello?" Catalina called from the front entranceway of the house.

She closed the door behind her, dropping her bag next to the wooden staircase that led to the second floor. She took a few hesitant steps into the house, peering into a disorganized office, and meticulous sitting room as she passed their open doors.

"Harlan?" she called again. "Suni? Anyone home?"

There was a clatter from the kitchen, and Catalina relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. She walked the rest of the way down the hall and entered the brightly lit kitchen. Spacious windows along the back wall revealed a small garden of exotic plants that seemed to flourish in Earth's environment. The Saturnian turned and saw Harlan moving quickly around the kitchen, trying to contain several pots and pans as they boiled and sizzled. He was wearing a while apron and chefs hat, and Catalina put her hand to her mouth to stop a giggle from escaping.

"You're early," Harlan said accusingly. "Suni's not back yet, and dinner isn't ready."

"You look so… domesticated," Catalina told him.

Harlan made a face. "I don't know what Rosie and Bova were thinking, making me Suni's guardian."

"You were the logical choice. Close to Starcademy, stable job," Catalina replied, stealing a carrot from the countertop, "and you didn't have to accept."

Harlan shook his head. "I still can't believe they're gone."

"No trace of them was found?" Cat asked, lowering her pilfered carrot.

"It's been over three months," Harlan said. "If they were alive…"

"I'm home!" Suni called from the doorway. "Is Aunt Catalina here? Her stuff is in the hall."

Suni came into the kitchen, carrying an armful of flowers. She was dressed all in black, and she didn't smile when she came in. As Catalina greeted her and helped her with her load, she observed that Suni's eyes had lost some of their sparkle.

"The guest room is made up for you, Aunt Catalina," Suni said. "Are you staying long?"

"A few days," Catalina replied. "There are some people I want to visit after the memorial service."

Suni nodded. "Atreus and Tethys are in town too, staying at their planet's consulates. There wasn't enough room for us all here."

"Excuse me for only have one guest room," Harlan said. "For most people, that's enough."

Suni tried to smile, but it looked forced. She excused herself and left the kitchen. A moment later, footsteps were heard going to the second floor, and a door closed. Harlan sighed and took off his hat, tossing it onto the counter as he finished the meal.

"I'm hardly ever here," he said regretfully. "She needs someone to help her through this. Can't you…?"

Catalina shook her head. "Sending her to Yensid won't help. She'll be far from her friends, and it will just remind her of Xen. Besides, I've got a grieving mother on my hands. I can't handle both of them."

Harlan closed his eyes and sighed. "I know, but I'm not exactly a father."

"And you never will be, not to Suni. You can't replace Bova in her heart. All you can be is Uncle Harlan. I think that's enough for her."

Harlan nodded, tears brimming in his eyes. He rubbed them away angrily, blaming the onions he was frying, and shooed Catalina to the table so he could finish cooking. Catalina sat down, a bemused smile on her face as she watched her old friend, and her eyes wandered to the flowers Suni had bought. There was one bouquet, and a large floral wreath, each with a single card attached to them. One read 'Xen', and the other 'Mom and Dad'.

The sun was shining brightly and the sky free of clouds as Suni, Catalina, and Harlan made their way towards the memorial. The monument had been designed as a central pillar, representing the UPP, and several smaller pillars surrounding it, representing each of the Starbases that were destroyed by the Kaesar. Suni held a wreath of flowers tightly in her hands, and Catalina carried the bouquet Suni had purchased earlier. They walked silently, lost in their own thoughts and memories, to where a sizeable crowd had already gathered.

Although the time of the memorial had not been widely publicized, the location was known by everyone. The UPP had commissioned highly skilled artists from all over the SOL system to design the monument, adding elements from every race. The government of New Andromeda had sent volunteer workers to help erect the structure, and fine stonemasons from Pluto had painstakingly chiseled the known names of the victims into the respective pillars. Between the monuments were gardens designed by Neptunian botanists, and fountains created by famed Venusian artisans. The pathways were made of Mercurian rock, and imported trees from Uranus provided shade from the sun. Even the Spung had provided some of the building materials for the new monument.

As Harlan, Suni, and Catalina made it to the top of the hill, there were already over a hundred mourners gathered. The crowd parted as they approached, and moved silently to the front of the crows. Harlan made his way onto the temporary stage, and Suni joined Atreus and Tethys, putting her wreath by her feet and taking each of their hands into hers. Catalina followed Harlan, standing next to Radu, Elmira, Clito, and Suzee. The crowd grew silent as Harlan approached the podium to deliver his speech.

"Freedom never comes without a heavy price," the Admiral of the UPP began. "The recent Kaesar invasion extracted that price from us all, and we are gathered here today to remember those who gave their lives so we might remain free."

Suni squeezed Atreus' hand tighter. Atreus glanced over at his friend, sad that she refused to wear colour anymore, and that the smile that had resembled her mother's so much would not return. He looked over at Tethys, her shortened hair the only physical reminder of her many brushes with death, and the princess stared ahead, listening to the Admiral speak.

"The citizens of the Starbases, who died needlessly so the Kaesar could show off their power, will never be forgotten; nor will the brave crews of those 'bases who gave their lives to save others. Each of these pillars stands as a memorial to them, so their lives will not have been lost in vain."

The crowd applauded politely. A tear slid down Suni's cheek, but she made no motion to wipe it away. Tethys bowed her head respectfully as the Admiral waited for silence once more.

"We must also recognize those who volunteered to fly against the Kaesar, saving the lives of the colonies on the surrounding planets. Those pilots who defended our space, will live on in our hearts. Thank you all for coming, and please think on those who gave up everything so we would have to give up nothing."

As the group broke up to look at the memorials, Suni and her friends made their way to the stage where Harlan and the others were descending. Suni handed her wreath to Tethys and took the bouquet of flowers from Catalina, clutching them tightly to her chest. Her eyes were on Suzee, who stood apart from the others, her eyes puffy from crying. It was strange to see their strong aunt caught up in her emotions, and Suni reluctantly broke free of her friends to approach.

"Aunt Suzee?" Suni said.

The older woman turned, attempting to smile as she did so. Suni could see how strained it was. She held out the flowers as a peace offering, and Suzee took them.

"I'm sorry," Suni burst out. "I couldn't save him. I tried, I wasn't strong enough. He saved me, but he died, and I couldn't do anything. I'm so, so sorry."

Suzee took Suni into her arms and hugged her tightly. Suni clutched her aunt, apologizing over and over again until Suzee let her go and told her to stop.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Suni," Suzee told her gently. "Xen did was he wanted to do."

"But he was your son," Suni sobbed. "I took away your son."

"The Master took him, not you," Suzee replied, "and although he was my son, I was never much of a mother to him. I left him with his father's people and kept disappearing and reappearing in his life, never staying long. I don't think I ever had a decent conversation with him, other than when he asked to go to Yensid."

Suzee raised her eyes to meet Suni's. "He never fit in among his father's people, because of me. His mixed blood kept him apart, so he asked if he could leave. Catalina was against it – she never liked the… circumstances under which he was born – but I told him he could go. He wanted to see my world, thinking maybe he would fit in better with my people, I suppose. He spent his whole life alone, until he met you, Suni. Without you, he would be alive, but he would not be happy."

Suzee lay the flowers down at the base of the pillar, her hand touching the soft marble gently as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She looked back at her niece. "Thank you for giving him a happy life, Suni."

As Suni left her grieving aunt to rejoin her friends, she noticed someone new had joined their group. Alyna stood tall and proud with Tethys and Atreus, her left arm still bandaged and scars showing through her blue fur. Her cape had been mended, but her golden eyes seemed tired still, as if they had seen too much.

"Alyna!" Suni exclaimed, embracing her friend.

Alyna winced at the affection. "Careful, please, Suni. I am not completely healed."

"Where have you been?" Suni asked. "I haven't heard from you since… for three months."

Alyna averted her eyes, and Suni got a sinking feeling in her stomach. She held Alyna by the hand, waiting.

"I was tracking down my race," Alyna said. "I tried to follow the Great Migration."

"Why?" Suni breathed.

"The UPP is safe," Alyna continued with some difficulty.

"She misses her people," Tethys said gently.

"But she has us!" Suni protested.

"We're all on different planets right now," Atreus added. "None of us know when we'll be in space next. Starcademy hasn't been reopened yet, and the Starbases might not ever be rebuilt now that the UPP know how vulnerable they are to attack."

Alyna lowered her head.

"But even if you find the other Guardians, you don't talk to each other," Suni said, knowing she was fighting a loosing battle. "Finding them won't make you less lonely."

"It is like you planet-dwellers, surrounded by your own kind to whom you never speak," Alyna said. "You are comforted in the fact that you are not alone."

The Guardian stepped forward and placed a silver transmitter in Suni's hand. "I will attempt to follow my people, but if I do not find them, I will return. Should the Starcademy reopen before I am out of communicator range, call me."

Suni turned over the silver device. "How long will this work?"

"Several years, I suspect. The SOL system is large, Suni Ianni, and I do not know where the Guardians have gone. It will take me a while to find traces of them."

Suni forced a smile. "You promise to come back when school starts?"

Alyna returned the grin and embraced her friend. "If I can, I will. I promise."

Suni left her friends and moved to join Harlan, Catalina, Suzee, Radu, and Elmira around one of the small pillars representing Starbase 7. They were speaking quietly to each other, but their conversation disappears as she approached, carrying her floral wreath. Gently, she lay the wreath at the base of the pillar, her eyes locked on the two carved names of her parents, which wavered behind the tears in her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at her uncle Harlan.

"Your grandparents on Mercury have said you can live with them until school starts," Harlan said gently. "Although I can't imagine a diplomatic office that wouldn't accept you, if you wanted to go there."

"You're welcome back to the Spung court as ambassador," Empress Elmira said, holding the leash of her small pet gurkle tightly.

"The Yensidian Traders are looking for someone to help them re-established trading routes to the SOL system," Catalina added.

"And you're always welcome to stay with me," Harlan finished in a voice that indicated he would enjoy having her stay.

Suni turned to look at her parents' best friends, the only family she had left. They all seemed so much older now, more fragile, than the had before. Suni squeezed the silver transmitter in her hand and looked up into the blue sky, knowing that beyond it lay the bright stars and planets of her friends.

"I want to find them," Suni whispered.

"Find who?" Radu asked.

"My parents. They're out there, somewhere. I can't believe they would die just like that. They must have escaped."

"Suni," Catalina said gently, stepping forward.

Suni backed away from her. "No! You may have given them up for dead, but my parents wouldn't just leave me like this. They're out there, I know they are! If they were dead, I would feel it, wouldn't I?"

Harlan sighed and nodded. "You're old enough to do what you think is right, Suni, but your parents died in the explosion that destroyed Starbase 7. But if you're serious about this, I'll lend you a ship. Just don't leave the SOL system and be back when Starcademy reopens."

Suni blinked in surprise. "You're lending me a ship?"

Harlan forced a smile. "I'm the Admiral. I can do what I want, right? Ask Alyna to go with you."

Suni's pleased expression faded. "She's going to search for the Guardians."

"Go together," Harlan repeated. "You look for your parents, and she can look for the Guardians. I'll sleep better at night knowing someone is out there with you. And send me updates on where you are every day."

"Yes, Uncle Harlan," Suni said, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek.

As Suni ran off to talk to her friends, Catalina moved next to her friend. She took his hand and held it tightly.

"Good job, Uncle Harlan," she said.

Harlan sighed. "What would Rosie and Bova said if they knew I sent their daughter on a wild goose chase?"

Catalina stood on tiptoe and kissed Harlan on the cheek, like Suni had done. This time, however, Harlan blushed slightly.

"They would say," Catalina repeated, "Good job, Uncle Harlan."


End file.
